Lower House of Nepal’s Federal Parliament endorsed the Charter of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

BIMSTEC Charter

• It is a foundational document that outlines the goals, principles, and structure of BIMSTEC group.
• Signed and adopted in March 2022 during 5^th BIMSTEC Summit.
• Charter has provision that it will come into force only after its endorsement by all member countries. (Except Nepal, respective parliaments of other members endorsed the charter).

• BIMSTEC was formed in 1997 to enhance regional cooperation on issues like economic prosperity, social progress etc.
  • Members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

External Affairs Minister for India participated virtually in the first ‘ASEAN Future Forum’, held in Hanoi, Vietnam.

• ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is an intergovernmental organization aimed primarily at promoting economic growth and regional stability among its 10 members.

About ASEAN Future Forum

• It was proposed by Vietnam at the 43rd ASEAN Summit in 2023.
• It is a common platform for ASEAN member states as well as partner countries to share new ideas and policy recommendations. 
• It aims to contribute to promoting and shaping ASEAN’s development path.

Foreign Minister visits amid efforts to seek a peaceful resolution to the more than two-year-old Russia-Ukraine conflict.

• Ukraine expects India to participate in the Peace summit to be hosted by Switzerland based on Ukrainian President's 10 points peace formula.
  • 10 points peace formula aims to bring lasting peace to Ukraine and put an end to war.
• A Review meeting of the Inter-governmental Commission (IGC) was also held to restore cooperation prior to war level.

About India- Ukraine Relationship

• Political: India was one of the first countries to recognise Ukraine (1991). 
• Trade and Economic Cooperation: India is Ukraine’s major export destination in the Asia-Pacific (2020).
• Cultural:  Elements of India’s soft power such as dances, yoga, philosophy, Ayurveda and spirituality have considerable impact in Ukraine 
  • People-to-people connect through training programs by India such as ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) scholarship; Kendriya Hindi Sansthan Scholarship program was quite good before War.
• Education:  One of the most preferred destinations for medical education, about 18,000 Indian students were studying in Ukraine before the conflict.