The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has left for Myanmar today to attend the third Summit of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, BIMSTEC.

In his departure statement, the Prime Minister said, BIMSTEC lies at the cross road between SAARC and ASEAN drawing its energy from the natural convergence of the countries around the Bay of Bengal.

He said connectivity and sub-regional cooperation in trade and investment, energy, climate, tourism, agriculture and other areas provide the spark for the growth engine in the region. Dr Singh added that security challenges both natural and manmade require collective vision and determination to be overcome by peace, stability and development in BIMSTEC countries.

Prime Minister hoped that his visit will strengthen the relationship of India with other member state of BIMSTEC.

Dr. Singh will use his visit to renew contacts with leaders of the seven-member grouping at the summit level meeting tomorrow in Nay Pyi Taw. The BIMSTEC comprises India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal. The member countries bring together 21 per cent of the world population, which is about 1.5 billion, and a GDP of over 2.5 trillion dollars.

Dr. Singh is expected to make a strong pitch for giving a fillip to India's Look East policy and explore ways to enhance connectivity, transport, trade, tourism and other linkages to the northeastern states of the country. Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh said, BIMSTEC is an expression of India's Look East Policy of the 1990s, coinciding with Thailand's Look West Policy.

She said, the BIMSTEC has huge potential in bringing the fruits of the cross connectivity linkages to the northeastern states and it is in India's interest to make sure that its northeast does not fall behind.

AIR correspondent reports that the Prime Minister will have bilateral meetings with Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapaksa, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other leaders on the sidelines of the Summit. The first summit meeting was held in Bangkok in 2004 and second in New Delhi in 2008.