¨ First
BIMSTEC-India Ocean Research Network Conference held in Kochi to strengthen
blue economy cooperation.
¨
The first biennial BIMSTEC-India Marine
Research Network (BIMReN) conference was held in Kochi, marking a major step in
advancing blue economy collaboration among BIMSTEC member nations.
¨
The conference was conducted from 4 to 6
November with participation from scientists, researchers, and policymakers
across the Bay of Bengal region.
¨
The purpose of the event was to review
progress and discuss collective approaches to sustainable marine research and
ocean governance.
¨
BIMReN was launched in 2024 by the
Ministry of External Affairs to link top Indian research institutions with
marine research centers across BIMSTEC countries.
¨
The initiative was originally announced by
PM Narendra Modi at the Colombo BIMSTEC Summit in 2022.
¨
In its pilot phase, BIMReN has already
connected more than 25 research institutions and over 50 scientists for
collaborative studies.
¨
Key research areas include ocean health,
marine ecosystem resilience, sustainable fisheries, and coastal resource
management.
¨
The Bay of Bengal region accounts for
nearly 6% of the world’s total fish catch and supports one-third of the global
fishing fleet, making regional cooperation essential.
¨ The
conference also focused on strengthening institutional coordination under the
Neighbourhood First, Act East, Indo-Pacific, and MAHASAGAR strategic
frameworks.
