National Security Advisor of India, Ajit Doval, yesterday, held a series of bilateral discussions with key leaders from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Myanmar ahead of the BIMSTEC Security Summit in the national capital on Thursday.He held discussions on cooperation across defence and security fronts and exchanged views on key global developments.India's NSA Ajit Doval met Defense Secretary of Sri Lanka, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), yesterday on the sidelines of the 5th Meeting of BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs. They discussed cooperation on defence, security and maritime issues. They also exchanged views on regional and global security matters.The meeting with key leaders comes as India continues to deepen its partnership across the neighbourhood.The fifth BIMSTEC National Security Advisers' Meeting will be hosted by India and is scheduled to take place in New Delhi, today. BIMSTEC is a key regional organisation that was established on June 6, 1997, with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration. Initially known as BIST-EC (Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation), the organisation is now known as BIMSTEC and comprises seven Member States, with the admission of Myanmar on December 22 1997, and Bhutan and Nepal in February 2004.Source: The Economic Times
