India will host the first-ever meeting of national security chiefs of BIMSTEC member countries to discuss action against terrorism, extremism and radicalisation.
The decision was taken during the 17th BIMSTEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) which concluded here today.
"In keeping with the high-priority BIMSTEC members attach to combat terrorism and trans-national crime, it was agreed that India would host the first ever meeting of BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs to discuss action against spread of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation," a statement said.
The regional grouping meeting, which began on Sunday, discussed progress in several key initiatives in trade and investment, energy, technology, fisheries, climate change, culture, people-to-people contacts and other sectors.
This marked an important step forward to realise the action oriented agenda for BIMSTEC agreed by the leaders at their Retreat hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Goa in October 2016.
India, as the lead country in the areas of counter terrorism and trans-national crime, environment, transport and tourism sectors, offered several important initiatives in these areas.
India will also be hosting an international conference on countering radicalisation, the statement said.
To boost regional connectivity, India will organise a meeting of the Working Group to finalise the BIMSTEC Motor Vehicles Agreement.
An MOU on grid interconnection has also been finalised to facilitate electricity trade in the region.
The Trade Negotiating Committee would take up trade and trade facilitation matters.
Given the region's vulnerability to natural calamities, India will also organise the first annual disaster management exercise.
A Task Force on Traditional Medicine has been created that would meet in India to work on strengthening the role of traditional medicine for holistic health care.
A network of BIMSTEC tour operators would be organised in India to boost tourism through measures such as composite tour packages.
In keeping with the strong commitment of members to BIMSTEC, progress is to be reviewed in the Meeting of Foreign Ministers to be hosted by Nepal in June later this year.
This meeting would also make preparations for the 4th BIMSTEC Summit to be hosted by Nepal by the end this year.
As the chair of the regional grouping, Nepal was to host the Summit last year, but due to the massive earthquake in 2015 and border blockade, Kathmandu was unable to host the event.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' yesterday assured BIMSTEC Secretary General Sumith Nakandala that preparations were being made to host the summit.
During his meeting, Nakandala, a Sri Lankan national, told Prachanda that he would push for the development of Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, at personal and institutional levels.
Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar are the members of the regional grouping which works in 14 areas of cooperation including combating terrorism, cultural exchanges, trade and commerce, people to people relations, fishery and climate change, among others.
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