New Delhi, Nov 7 : Reinforcing Blue Economy cooperation in the Bay of Bengal region, India hosted the first biennial conference of BIMSTEC-India Marine Research Network (BIMReN) in Kochi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday.

According to the MEA, the event held from November 4 ' 6, served as a milestone in advancing regional cooperation in marine research and sustainable blue economy initiatives focused on marine challenges, ecosystem health, and research innovations, including building scientific networks among young researchers, effective marine resource management, and harmonious policy development.

BIMReN, an initiative of the MEA launched in 2024, enables institutional collaborations through twinning research grants and split-site PhD fellowships, linking leading Indian research institutions with those in other BIMSTEC countries.

'The BIMReN initiative was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Colombo BIMSTEC Summit in 2022, to strengthen collective research in marine sciences. It aligns with India's broader regional policy objectives under its Neighbourhood First, Act East, Indo-Pacific and MAHASAGAR strategies,' read a statement issued by the MEA.

The Ministry mentioned that the biennial conference brought together BIMReN partners to engage in discussions and exchange of views on the outcomes of BIMReN's activities since its launch. The pilot phase of BIMReN has till date connected 25 institutions and over 50 researchers from BIMSTEC countries.

'The launch of BIMReN by India is testimony to its long-term commitment towards sustainable fisheries management through regional cooperation in the Bay of Bengal, which accounts for 6 per cent of the world's fish catch and over a third of world's fishing fleet ply around it,' the MEA stated.

Earlier in April, during the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand, Prime Minister Modi presented a comprehensive 21-point action plan, laying out an ambitious road map for cooperation across diverse sectors.

His proposals reflected India's leadership in revitalising BIMSTEC, aligning with the 'Neighbourhood First' and 'Act East' policies, and dovetailing into India's broader Indo-Pacific vision.

Sharing his vision on X, PM Modi stated, "BIMSTEC is an important forum to further global good. It is imperative we strengthen it and deepen our engagement. In this context, I proposed a 21-point action plan covering different aspects of our cooperation."

/IANS