Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated at the Summit in virtual mode, and in his address, said that adopting the Charter is an "important step" by the BIMSTEC member nations.
New Delhi: The BIMSTEC member states at the Colombo Summit on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, adopted its Charter.
"The signing of the Charter has led to BIMSTEC being recognised as an international organisation with an emblem, flag and formally listed principles to be adhered to," said Rudrendra Tandon, Additional Secretary, MEA catering to the BIMSTEC desk.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated at the Summit in virtual mode, and in his address, said that adopting the Charter is an "important step" by the BIMSTEC member nations. He lauded Sri Lanka for chairing the historic and solemn Summit.
"In this Charter, we have decided to hold a Summit every two years and an annual meeting of foreign ministers. I welcome this move," Modi said, adding, "now our next priority should be to further strengthen the architecture.
PM Modi also said that there is a need to accelerate the work after signing the Charter and not sit back.
"Connectivity, marine cooperation, economic integration and security were other agendas at the Summit," Rudrendra Tandon said.
Earlier, the MEA has stated, "The Covid pandemic related challenges, and the uncertainties within the international system that all BIMSTEC members are facing, imparts greater urgency to the goal of taking BIMSTEC technical and economic cooperation to the next level".
This was the main subject of deliberations by leaders at the Summit.
India and Sri Lanka have made use of the BIMSTEC deliberations to give a further push to bilateral ties. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met Sri Lankan leaders and deliberated on multiple issues.
India has declared its support for the Sri Lankan government entering into a dialogue with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
The TNA recently accepted an invitation from Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to initiate a dialogue amidst the deepening economic crisis. The two parties discussed a four-point plan to improve bilateral relations.
The Indian High Commission, in a statement, declared New Delhi's blessings for the latest initiative after Dr Jaishankar met a TNA delegation.
The TNA delegation briefed EAM on the latest developments and conveyed the issues of releasing political prisoners, land utilisation, missing persons, and 13th Amendment implementation.
Dr Jaishankar, sources said, also received a more detailed understanding of this subject from Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Prof G L Peiris.
The contribution of India's development partnership to economic recovery in the North and East of Sri Lanka was also recognised in the meetings.
EAM separately met Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Douglas Devananda. They discussed issues pertaining to fishermen.
