Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud participated in the second BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers' retreat hosted by Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S Jaishankar in New Delhi. Jaishankar characterized the meeting as productive and expressed gratitude to the attending foreign ministers for their participation.

The discussions at the retreat encompassed a wide range of topics aimed at enhancing collaboration within BIMSTEC. These included strengthening connectivity, building institutional frameworks, promoting trade and business cooperation, advancing collaboration in health and space sectors, developing digital public infrastructure, enhancing capacity building, fostering societal exchanges, and exploring the benefits of new mechanisms.

Jaishankar emphasized the confidence that the deliberations at the retreat would translate into substantial outcomes and practical collaborations during the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand. He highlighted the purpose of the retreat as providing a platform for open, candid, and fruitful exchange of ideas among member nations, building on the success of the previous retreat held in Bangkok.

The upcoming summit holds particular significance as it aims to lay the groundwork for strong outcomes and commitments among the Bay of Bengal nations. Jaishankar reiterated the commitment of all member states to inject new energies and resources into cooperation within BIMSTEC.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) comprises seven countries from South and Southeast Asia, united in their efforts for comprehensive regional cooperation.