India hosts first BIMSTEC-India Marine Research Network conference in Kochi

New Delhi, Nov 7: India hosted the first biennial conference of the BIMSTEC-India Marine Research Network (BIMReN) in Kochi from November 4 to 6, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening Blue Economy cooperation across the Bay of Bengal region.

Launched in 2024 by the Ministry of External Affairs, BIMReN is a flagship initiative designed to deepen institutional collaboration among BIMSTEC countries through joint research grants, split-site PhD fellowships, and academic partnerships. The network links leading Indian marine research institutes with their counterparts in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

The initiative was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Colombo BIMSTEC Summit in 2022. It forms a key part of India’s regional outreach under its Neighbourhood First, Act East, Indo-Pacific, and MAHASAGAR strategies, which aim to foster sustainable growth and maritime cooperation.

The Kochi conference marked a major milestone in BIMReN’s journey, bringing together researchers and institutions to assess progress since the network’s inception. So far, the pilot phase has connected 25 institutions and more than 50 researchers across BIMSTEC nations.

Participants discussed advances in marine research, ecosystem health, sustainable fisheries, and the creation of scientific linkages among young researchers to support effective marine resource management and policy development. The BIMReN initiative underscores India’s long-term commitment to regional collaboration in marine sciences and sustainable fisheries management. The Bay of Bengal, which accounts for nearly 6% of the global fish catch and hosts over one-third of the world’s fishing fleet, remains central to these efforts aimed at ensuring a resilient and sustainable maritime future for the region.