New Delhi, March 16 (IANS). India hosted the first BIMSTEC Young Professionals Exchange Program from 9 to 15 March 2026. The event was organized in Mumbai and Pune in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs, India and the Government of Maharashtra.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, 30 young innovators, technology developers, entrepreneurs and other professionals from the member countries of the ‘Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation’ (BIMSTEC) participated in the initiative. The event was organized with the aim of promoting cooperation and dialogue among the youth of the Bay of Bengal region.
The program was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 6th BIMSTEC Summit. Its objective was to promote knowledge exchange, strengthen regional cooperation and introduce participants to India’s rapidly growing start-up, innovation, research and technology ecosystem.
During the programme, participants visited several premier institutions, including IIT Bombay, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, Bharat Diamond Bourse, National Stock Exchange, Infosys and Symbiosis International University. During these visits, the participants got the opportunity to interact with industry leaders and gain a closer understanding of India’s economic and technological progress.
During the event, the participants also met Devendra Fadnavis, who highlighted Maharashtra’s knowledge, innovation and technology ecosystem, calling it an important platform for international partnerships.
This initiative provided an opportunity to young professionals to understand India’s development model and explore opportunities for potential collaboration. The participants also appreciated India for this programme.
India said that in the spirit of its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and ‘Act East Policy’, it attaches importance to creating platforms where young professionals, entrepreneurs and innovators can interact, learn from each other and develop long-term partnerships. This initiative will play an important role in strengthening regional cooperation, promoting innovation and building sustainable networks among emerging leaders in the BIMSTEC region.
–IANS
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