A 2-day-long BIMSTEC digital conclave kicked off today in Colombo with the theme Building Digital Public Infrastructure for Shared Prosperity. The event was inaugurated in the presence of the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha; the Secretary General of BIMSTEC, Indra Mani Pandey; and Deputy Ministers in the Government of Sri Lanka, Eranga Weeraratne and Chathuranga Abeysinghe.

The conclave includes panel discussions in which eminent leaders and experts from digital economy sectors from the region share their insights. Speaking at the event, Mr Jha highlighted India’s journey over the last decade in strengthening digital infrastructure using the JAM trinity and the benefit it has provided to the citizens.

On the occasion, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister for Industry and Entrepreneurship Development emphasised the role of BIMSTEC in sharing knowledge and technology between member states. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for Digital Economy, Eranga Weeraratne, took the opportunity to speak on the launch of Govpay, Sri Lanka’s digital payment platform for accessing government services. Tomorrow, the conclave will feature discussions on varied topics including digital identity for social and financial inclusion, digital payments, and digital health, among several others. Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation is an international organisation that promotes economic cooperation between seven countries in South and Southeast Asia.