India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a two-day visit to Thailand, where he will engage in bilateral talks with his Thai counterpart, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and participate in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit.
Modi will receive a grand welcome from the Indian community in Thailand and is scheduled to meet Shinawatra at the Government House, where he will be accorded a ceremonial welcome.
On Thursday evening, the Prime Minister will join the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) leaders from Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bhutan to oversee the signing of the Agreement on Maritime Cooperation.
The BIMSTEC summit will bring Modi face-to-face with Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, and Myanmar military junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, among others.
Ahead of his departure, Modi gave the following statement:
“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 04-06 April. This follows the highly successful visit of President Disanayaka 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,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI.)
