PM Modi departs for Thailand to attend 6th BIMSTEC Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday morning to attend the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, which will be held on Friday.

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a post on X wrote, “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,” it added.

PM Modi said that he will be in Thailand and Sri Lanka over the next three days to strengthen India’s ties with these nations and the BIMSTEC countries. He also outlined his schedule, including a meeting with Thailand counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra and attending the BIMSTEC Summit. He will also meet King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand during his visit.

PM Modi in a post on X wrote, “Over the next three days, I will be visiting Thailand and Sri Lanka to take part in various programmes aimed at boosting India’s cooperation with these nations and the BIMSTEC countries.”

“In Bangkok later today, I will be meeting Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and discussing the full range of India-Thailand friendship. Tomorrow, I will take part in the BIMSTEC Summit and also call on Maha Vajiralongkorn, the King of Thailand,” the post added.

In another post on his upcoming visit to Sri Lanka, PM Modi wrote, “My visit to Sri Lanka will take place from the 4th till the 6th. This visit comes after the successful visit of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to India. We will review the multifaceted India-Sri Lanka friendship and discuss newer avenues of cooperation. I look forward to the various meetings there.”

Notably, at the invitation of the Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, PM Modi is visiting 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. This will be the Prime Minister’s third visit to Thailand.

The MEA said that this would be the first physical meeting of the BIMSTEC Leaders since the fourth BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2018. The last i.e. fifth 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, PM Modi is scheduled to meet with Shinawatra today. 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 underpinned by cultural, linguistic, and religious ties.

From Thailand, PM Modi will travel to Sri Lanka on a State Visit from April 4 – 6, at the invitation of the President of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Disanayaka.