New Delhi, Mar 28 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be travelling to Thailand to participate in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit to be held on April 4, and will also visit Sri Lanka from April 4–6 to hold talks with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
At the invitation of Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bangkok, Thailand from April 3-4 to participate in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit to be held on April 4, hosted by Thailand, the current BIMSTEC Chair, and for an Official Visit.
This will be Prime Minister’s third visit to Thailand, a statement said.
This would be the first physical meeting of the BIMSTEC Leaders since the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2018. The last i.e. 5th BIMSTEC Summit was held at Colombo, Sri Lanka in March 2022 in virtual format.
The 6th Summit’s theme is ‘BIMSTEC – Prosperous, Resilient and Open’. The Leaders are expected to deliberate on ways and means to infuse greater momentum to BIMSTEC cooperation during the Summit.
The Leaders are also expected to discuss various institution and capacity building measures to augment collaboration within the BIMSTEC framework. India has been taking a number of initiatives in BIMSTEC to strengthen regional cooperation and partnership, including in enhancing security; facilitating trade and investment; establishing physical, maritime and digital connectivity; collaborating in food, energy, climate and human security; promoting capacity building and skill development; and enhancing people-to-people ties.
On the bilateral front, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to have a meeting with the Prime Minister of Thailand on April 3. During the meeting, the two Prime Ministers are expected to review bilateral cooperation and chart the way for future partnership between the countries. India and Thailand are maritime neighbours with shared civilizational bonds which are underpinned by cultural, linguistic, and religious ties.
From Thailand, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Sri Lanka on a State Visit from April 4–6, at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will hold discussions with the President of Sri Lanka to review progress made on the areas of cooperation agreed upon in the Joint Vision for "Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future” adopted during the Sri Lankan President’s State Visit to India last year.
Prime Minister Modi will also have meetings with senior dignitaries and political leaders. As part of the visit, Prime Minister will also travel to Anuradhapura for inauguration of development projects implemented with Indian financial assistance.
Prime Minister last visited Sri Lanka in 2019. Earlier, the President of Sri Lanka paid a State Visit to India in December last year as his first visit abroad after assuming office. India and Sri Lanka share civilizational bonds with strong cultural and historic links. This visit is part of regular high level engagements between the countries and will lend further momentum in deepening the multi-faceted partnership between India and Sri Lanka.
Prime Minister’s visit to Thailand and Sri Lanka, and his participation in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit will reaffirm India’s commitment to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, ‘Act East’ policy, ‘MAHASAGAR’ (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision, and vision of the Indo-Pacific, the statement added.
UNI RN