New Delhi, Sep 15: The BIMSTEC Young Leaders' Summit, hosted by India, highlighted the significance of young people's involvement in holistic development, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday.

This summit was part of the 21-point action plan introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to further strengthen the group, the MEA said.

The summit held in Assam's Guwahati from September 9-11 witnessed the participation of over 80 young leaders from all member countries of BIMSTEC, representing a cross-section of their societies, including political, business, socio-cultural, and civil society.

It was inaugurated by the Governor of Assam, Laxman Prasad Acharya, and organised in association with Bharat Scouts and Guides.

According to the MEA, the three-day summit highlighted leadership for the 21st century -- "resilient, inclusive, and responsive to diversity."

It mentioned that sessions on entrepreneurship, design thinking, and cross-cultural collaboration were organised, which "encouraged participants to explore sustainable, socially responsive solutions."

"Cultural exchanges and country-sharing sessions deepened mutual understanding and strengthened unity," it added.

The Ministry further mentioned that the outcomes of the summit were "encouraging" as they highlighted enhanced skills in communication and collaboration, innovative social business prototypes, and most importantly, networks of trust that will foster future cooperation.

The event also emphasised the importance of the Northeast as the "land bridge of the socio-economic developmental corridor" which brings the Bay of Bengal region together, according to the MEA.

The initiative, in line with India's Neighbourhood First, Act East and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) visions for regional cooperation, as per the Ministry, would prepare the "young leaders of the region to drive policies and development efforts, as well as to deal with the challenges of today and the future, for growth and prosperity in the region."

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)

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