New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Bangkok, Thailand, early today to attend the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit, and said he looks forward to meeting the leaders of the BIMSTEC countries and strengthening collaboration with the Bay of Bengal littoral nations.
In a departure statement, the PM said he will also visit Sri Lanka where he and President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka will review the multifaceted India-Sri Lanka friendship and discuss newer avenues of cooperation.
The departure statement read:
“At the invitation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, I am departing today for Thailand on an Official visit and to attend the 6th BIMSTEC Summit.
“Over the past decade, BIMSTEC has emerged as a significant forum for promoting regional development, connectivity and economic progress in the Bay of Bengal region.
“With its geographical location, India’s North Eastern region lies at the heart of BIMSTEC. I look forward to meeting the leaders of the BIMSTEC countries and engaging productively to further strengthen our collaboration with interest of our people in mind.
“During my official visit, I will have the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Shinawatra and the Thai leadership, with a common desire to elevate our age-old historical ties, which are based on the strong foundations of shared culture, philosophy, and spiritual thought.
“From Thailand, I will pay a two-day visit to Sri Lanka from 4-6 April. This follows the highly successful visit of President Dissanayaka to India last December. We will have the opportunity to review progress made on the joint vision of ‘Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future’ and provide further guidance to realise our shared objectives.
“I am confident that these visits will build on the foundations of the past and contribute to strengthening our close relationships for the benefit of our people and the wider region.”
The MEA spokesperson in a post on X said:
“PM @narendramodi departs on a visit to Thailand & Sri Lanka.
“PM will be paying an Official Visit to Thailand & participate in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit. Thereafter, he will proceed on a State Visit to Sri Lanka.”
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation – BIMSTEC – comprises seven countries of the Bay of Bengal region: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
