New Delhi: Union Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh today virtually participated in the 19th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting hosted by Chair Thailand virtually from Bangkok.

Singh in a tweet wrote, "Attended the 19th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting hosted virtually, by Chair Thailand today. The Meeting approved several decisions to strengthen BIMSTEC's institutional mechanisms."

During the meeting, the ministers in pursuance of the directions from the 2016 Leaders' Retreat, 4th BIMSTEC Summit and 5th BIMSTEC Summit, approved several documents.

"Rules of Procedure for Core BIMSTEC Mechanisms, Sectoral BIMSTEC Mechanisms and BIMSTEC's External Relations were approved for submission to the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.

It further said, "The preparation was enabled by the contribution announced by Hon'ble Prime Minister during the 5th BIMSTEC Summit in Colombo towards institution building mechanisms. Accordingly, BIMSTEC Secretariat was authorized to anchor several meetings that brought the BIMSTEC Rules of Procedure into fruition."

Subsequent to the Prime Minister's announcement at the 5th BIMSTEC Summit of reviving the BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate, the 19th Meeting approved the draft Host Country Agreement between India and the BIMSTEC Secretariat for establishing BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate in India.

The Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation among the BIMSTEC Member States initiated by India has been approved by the meeting for signature during the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit. The agreement was approved as per Leaders' direction during the 2016 Retreat.

The meeting also approved the Terms of Reference for an Eminent Person's Group on the Future Directions of BIMSTEC. These were finalized under the special scheme for institution building announced by the PM during the 5th Summit in Colombo.

During the meeting, the leaders also approved the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 which would be launched at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit.

The leaders also approved the Administrative and Disciplinary Rules of the Secretariat and amended Financial Rules and Regulations of the BIMSTEC Secretariat which will enable expenditure by the Secretariat throughout the financial year with an approved budget.