Bimstec Summit: Modi-Hasina meet yet to be confirmed

India yesterday did not confirm any bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the fourth BIMSTEC Summit to be held in Kathmandu on August 30-31.

Replying to a specific question about Indian PM's bilateral meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart in Kathmandu, Secretary (East) Preeti Saran told a media briefing that "yes, I can confirm the bilateral meeting with the host of the Summit."

But "since such a Summit provides an opportunity to meet with top leaders of other member-countries, we are looking into other bilateral (meets)."

"Exact programmes are being worked out and the External Affairs Ministry's spokesman will let you know when these other bilateral meets are firmed up," she said.

Asked about reports in an Indian newspaper about the possibility of the first-ever joint military exercise to combat terrorism and a meeting of Army Chiefs of BIMSTEC countries—Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand—in India next month, Saran said "there is some discussion on this. We presume we are working on the modalities of the exercise."

"It is a work in progress and we hope to finalize something at the Nepal Summit," she added.

Saran said the idea of the joint BIMSTEC military exercise was derived from the successful combined exercise in India held last year involving disaster management experts and personnel.     

Asked if the BIMSTEC countries are planning their Summits more frequently  as the seven-nation grouping have so far met only four times since its inception in 1997, Saran the Summits were held in 2014, 2016 2017 and now in 2018 but it is for the heads of states and governments to decide.

She said the BIMSTEC Summit will come out with a Declaration which is under negotiations and there may be some other documents that will be signed during the Kathmandu meeting.

Saran said the BIMSTEC countries are discussing agreements on free trade area, motor vehicles movement and coastal shipping to boost trade among them but declined to confirm whether they will be signed during the coming Kathmandu Summit.

The BIMSTEC FTA is being negotiated for the last 13 years and Saran maintained "these things take time."

She said the Foreign Secretaries of BIMSTEC countries will meet in Kathmandu on August 28 and this will be followed by a meeting of their Foreign Ministers the next day before the Summit.