Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates BIMSTEC Youth Summit

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], February 8 (ANI): The first BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Youth Summit themed 'Youth as a bridge for intra-BIMSTEC exchange' was inaugurated on Saturday.
The summit commenced on February 7 and will last till February 11, with an aim to foster a constructive exchange of perspectives on strategic issues that empower youth, as per a statement by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal said, "The 1st BIMSTEC Youth Summit themed 'Youth as a bridge for intra-BIMSTEC exchange' was inaugurated by Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Mansukh Mandaviya, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, MoS Raksha Khadse & Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumder in Gandhinagar. The 3-day congregation of young leaders of BIMSTEC discussed challenges and opportunities for the region in several areas including entrepreneurship, technologies, digital connectivity, sustainable development & most importantly forging ties transcending boundaries. This initiative reaffirms India's commitment to promoting regional cooperation in line with 'Neighborhood First' policy, 'Act East' policy & SAGAR vision."

The 1st BIMSTEC Youth Summit themed ‘Youth as a bridge for intra-BIMSTEC exchange’ was inaugurated by Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports @mansukhmandviya, CM Gujarat @Bhupendrapbjp, MoS @khadseraksha & Secretary (East) @JaideepMazumder in Gandhinagar.

The 3-day congregation of… pic.twitter.com/x9ay3v2QrT

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) February 8, 2025

During the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu on August 30-31, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the hosting of a three-day BIMSTEC Youth Summit, aimed at bringing together the youth of BIMSTEC nations on a unified platform to exchange experiences and insights on youth-led initiatives undertaken by member states, as per the statement.
According to the release, the primary objective of the BIMSTEC Youth Summit is to facilitate the exchange of experiences and youth-led initiatives among member countries. Centered around the theme "Youth as a Bridge for Intra-BIMSTEC Exchange," the summit seeks to harness the collective energy of young leaders to advance the region's shared goals. India aims to channel this youthful energy towards achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The summit will provide an invaluable platform for dialogue on the progress and advancement of SDGs, bringing together 70 delegates from BIMSTEC nations. Each member country will be represented by 10 youth delegates, selected for their expertise in key areas, fostering targeted discussions that will contribute to meaningful outcomes from the summit, the statement added. (ANI)