BIMSTEC works towards peace; initiates to fight against terror

NP NEWS NETWORK

Pune

06 June 1997, saw a new sub-regional grouping being formed in Bangkok under the name BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).  On 22 December 1997, Myanmar became a full member, resulting in the renaming of the Forum to BIMST-EC i.e. Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation.   In February 2004, Nepal and Bhutan also became full members of this forum.

Hence, this seven nation forum now comprising of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka , Myanmar and Thailand was renamed ‘Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation’  without  changing its acronym i.e. BIMSTEC. The first summit of the BIMSTEC nations was held on 31 July 2004 at Bangkok. The BIMSTEC nations account for almost 22 % of the global population and has a combined Gross Domestic Product of 2.8 trillion dollars.

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 The main objective of BIMSTEC forum is technological and economic cooperation amongst the South Asian and South-East Asian countries along  the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

Starting with six sectors i.e. trade, technology, energy, transport, tourism and fisheries for sectoral cooperation in late 1997, the Forum expanded to embrace eight more sectors which included counter-terrorism, agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation,  environment, culture, people to people contact and climate change in 2008.

Theme of BIMSTEC Summit 2018 held at Kathmandu   

The theme of the fourth BIMSTEC summit held recently on 30 and 31 Auguest 18 was ‘Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region’.  Amongst the various agendas of the Kathmandu Declaration signed by the member countries the most important one was to call upon various countries to devise comprehensive strategy to deal with terrorism.

Towards this end , an inaugural edition of the Field Training Military Exercise called MILEX-18 is being organised from 10 September to 16 September 18 at the Foreign Training Node at Aundh, Pune in which the seven BIMSTEC nations will be participating. The core theme of this Military Exercise is counter-terrorism in a semi urban backdrop.

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Platoon sized contingents of the national armies of the BIMSTEC Nations will participate in this week long training exercise. Five officers and 25 Junior Commissioned Officers plus Other Ranks of all member countries will be participating less Thailand which will only be sending its Observers due to certain prior commitments.  The training is being supervised by a joint directing panel comprising of senior officials of the national contingents.

The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct of counter terrorist operations in a semi urban terrain backdrop. It focuses upon training on enhancing team building, special tactical level counter terrorist operations such as Cordon and Search, Search and Destroy, handling and neutralisation of Improvised Explosive Devices etc.

The primary focus of the tactical field exercise is to share best practices amongst the militaries of the member nations and hone existing skills of the troops in handling counter terrorist operations in a transnational scenario. The topics chosen for the exercise are both live and contemporary affecting all the nations alike.

Dr Subhash Bhambre, Minister of State for Defence will be witnessing  the validation Exercise alongwith the Service Chiefs on 16 September 18.

In addition to the Military Exercise, on initiative of our Chief of the Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat an inaugural  ‘Chief’s Conclave’ is also being organised at College of Military Engineering, Kirkee on 15 September 18 under the aegis of Headquarters Southern Command.

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The Chiefs of the Army of the member nations of BIMSTEC will be attending the Conclave.  Mr G Parthasarthy, former Indian diplomat would be the Moderator for the Chief’s Conclave. The Exercise as well as the Chief’s Conclave will culminate on 16 September 18 with a glittering closing ceremony at the Aundh Military Station.

The inaugural edition of the BIMSTEC Nations Military Exercise and the Chief’s Conclave is aimed at sending a message to the world of the intent of the developing nations of Bay of Bengal region in appreciating the emerging threat of transnational terrorism and the requirement to stand shoulder to shoulder united in countering this menace thereby acting as an example to the rest of the world to contribute to the fight.