Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports of India, in presence of Dig Bahadur Limbu, Minister of Youth and Sports of Nepal, officially opened the first BIMSTEC Aquatic Championship being held in New Delhi from February 6 to 9.

It is the first sports event being organised within the BIMSTEC framework.

Over 400 athletes and officials from seven BIMSTEC member states will be participating in the BIMSTEC Aquatic Championship 2024, taking place at the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Swimming Pool Complex in New Delhi.

Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General of BIMSTEC, expressed his gratitude to the Government of India for hosting the championship and underscored the significance of organising sports and other youth events in fostering regional cooperation in the Bay of Bengal region.

India is hosting the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Aquatic Championship 2024 as an initiative to foster regional cooperation spirit in the Bay of Bengal region, according to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

The Bay of Bengal Region is home to the largest young population in the world. In recent years, the region has also emerged as one of the promising pools of sports talent all over the world.

The region has a rich and diverse pool of traditional games, which are increasingly becoming attractive and popular globally and are becoming part of international sports.