India to host inaugural BIMSTEC business summit in New Delhi, August 6-8

India will host the inaugural BIMSTEC Business Summit in New Delhi from August 6-8. Organized by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the three-day event will be inaugurated by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and other leaders will also deliver keynote addresses.

The summit aims to enhance regional collaboration through strengthened trade and investment relations among BIMSTEC member countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand. Over 300 key stakeholders from across the Bay of Bengal region, including ministers, high-ranking officials, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and industry representatives, will participate.

The MEA highlighted that the summit seeks to promote greater economic integration by focusing on areas such as trade facilitation, regional connectivity, energy security, inclusive growth, and sustainable development. The event is expected to serve as a significant platform for discussing and advancing collaborative economic strategies within the BIMSTEC framework.

Earlier in July, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval represented the country at the 4th Annual BIMSTEC Security Chiefs Meeting in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. This meeting emphasized India’s active engagement in regional security and economic cooperation, reflecting the importance of BIMSTEC in fostering multilateral collaboration across South and Southeast Asia.