PM Modi departs for Thailand to attend BIMSTEC summit, state visit to Sri Lanka follows

New Delhi, April 03: Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on an official visit to Thailand today, where he will participate in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit before proceeding on a state visit to Sri Lanka. In a statement ahead of his departure, PM Modi highlighted the growing significance of the BIMSTEC forum in fostering regional cooperation.

“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,” he said.

Pm in a message on X said, “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.”

Highlighting the importance of India-Thailand relations, in the departure statement he stated, “During my official visit, I will have the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Paetongtarn 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.”
Following his engagements in Thailand, PM Modi will travel to Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6.

“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 reale our shared objectives,” he noted.

Expressing confidence in the outcomes of his visits, the Prime Minister added, “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.”