Kathmandu, September 20 India will conduct the first ‘BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise-2017’ in New Delhi and the National Capital Region from October 10 to 13. The exercise, for which India’s National Disaster Response Force will be the lead agency, will be a platform for sharing best practices in all aspects of disaster risk reduction, strengthening regional response and coordination for disaster management among the BIMSTEC member countries, according to a statement issued today by India’s Press Information Bureau. Delegates from all seven nations of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand — representatives from Embassies/High Commissions of BIMSTEC nations in Delhi, National Disaster Management Authority, and Senior Officers from nodal ministries will participate in the event. The 17th BIMSTEC Senior Officials Meeting held in Kathmandu on February 7 had decided that India would organise the first annual disaster management exercise for the region. The main focus of the event will be on testing the region’s preparedness and resilience towards effective activation of inter-governmental interaction for immediate deployment of regional resources for disaster response.