1st BIMSTEC Health Ministers' Meeting: India Reaffirms Regional Health Cooperation

Union Health Minister **J. P. Nadda** addressed the inaugural **BIMSTEC Health Ministers’ Meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka**, reaffirming India’s commitment to enhancing regional health security, traditional medicine, and pandemic preparedness across the Bay of Bengal region.

- Key Highlights & Commitments:

  - **Centre of Excellence in Traditional Medicine:** India reaffirmed its commitment to hosting the BIMSTEC CoE in Traditional Medicine at the **Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA)** in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

  - **Sharing Indian Best Practices:** Highlighted India's healthcare transformations through Ayushman Bharat, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, PM-ABHIM, and eSanjeevani telemedicine framework.

  - **One Health Approach:** Emphasized regional solidarity based on the philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' and PM Modi’s vision of 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'.

- Preparatory Senior Officials Meeting:

  - The ministerial meet was preceded by the 1st BIMSTEC Senior Officials Meeting on Health held in Colombo on **November 10, 2026**.

---

- BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation):

  - Established: **June 6, 1997** (Bangkok Declaration) | Permanent Secretariat: **Dhaka, Bangladesh**.

  - 7 Member States: **India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand**.

- ITRA (Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda):

  - Status: **Institute of National Importance (INI)** | Location: **Jamnagar, Gujarat**.

Q: At which Indian institute will the BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence in Traditional Medicine be established?

A: ITRA, Jamnagar (Gujarat)

Q: In which year was BIMSTEC established?

A: 1997

Q: Where was the 1st BIMSTEC Senior Officials Meeting on Health held on November 10, 2026?

A: Colombo, Sri Lanka

#BIMSTEC #JPNadda #HealthCooperation #ITRAJamnagar #Colombo2026 #AyushmanBharat #CurrentAffairs #StaticGK