Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Thailand on Thursday to attend the sixth BIMSTEC summit. Following the summit, he will head to Sri Lanka for his first visit since the election of its new president.
In a statement before his departure, Modi emphasized BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) as a key platform for fostering regional development, connectivity, and economic growth in the Bay of Bengal area over the past decade. He also noted that India’s North Eastern region plays a central role in BIMSTEC due to its strategic location.
“I look forward to meeting the leaders of BIMSTEC countries and engaging in productive discussions to strengthen our collaboration, keeping the interests of our people at the forefront,” he said.
During his visit to Thailand, Modi plans to meet with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and other Thai leaders to further enhance their long-standing historical ties, grounded in shared culture, philosophy, and spirituality.
On April 4, Modi will begin a two-day visit to Sri Lanka. “This follows the successful visit of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to India last December. We will review the progress of our joint vision of ‘Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future’ and offer further guidance to achieve our mutual goals,” he added.
Modi expressed confidence that these visits would strengthen bilateral relations and contribute to the betterment of the people in both countries and the broader region.