On 13 – 15 March 2023, Mr. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Director-General of Department of International Economic Affairs, visited New Delhi, India to exchange and listen to various perspectives from different stakeholders in India on how to drive cooperation within the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) under Thailand's Chairmanship this year.

During the visit, DG Cherdchai held a meeting with high-level officials of India, including (1) Mr. Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, and (2) Mr. Rudrendra Tandon, Additional Secretary of BIMSTEC and SAARC Division, Ministry of External Affairs. Both sides exchanged ideas on how to strengthen BIMSTEC and to enhance cooperation among member countries for the successful implementation of BIMSTEC's goals and missions.

On the same occasion, the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), an important Indian policy and think-tank institution located in New Delhi, organized a seminar for DG Cherdchai to meet and discuss directly with representatives from academic and qualified stakeholders in India related to BIMSTEC and on enhancing linkages/connectivity among BIMSTEC member countries in various forms, including land, maritime, tourism, trade facilitation, energy, and alternative energy. The Ambassador of Thailand to India and Secretary (East) also participated in the seminar.

The visit is part of the preparations to pave the way for the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit, which is scheduled to held in Bangkok later this year. It has enabled the exchange of views between those involved from all sectors of the member countries of BIMSTEC, including India, which Thailand considers not only as economic powerhouse in South Asia, but also a key driver of BIMSTEC since its inception.