PM Narendra Modi Departs For Sri Lanka After BIMSTEC Summit In Thailand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Sri Lanka from Bangkok on Friday, following his participation in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit.

The Prime Minister is visiting Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6 at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka.

During his State visit, PM Modi is set to engage in discussions with senior Sri Lankan leaders on the progress made in various areas of bilateral cooperation, including those outlined in the Joint Vision for ‘Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future’, which was adopted during the Sri Lankan President’s State Visit to India.

PM Modi will also visit Anuradhapura, where he will inaugurate several development projects financed by India.

His previous visit to Sri Lanka was in 2019, and he emphasized that this visit would further reinforce India’s commitment to fostering deeper ties with Sri Lanka.

Reaffirming India’s Regional Commitments

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that PM Modi’s visit to Thailand, Sri Lanka, and participation in the BIMSTEC Summit reaffirm India’s dedication to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ policies.

These efforts aim to strengthen India’s diplomatic and economic ties with neighboring countries, particularly in the Bay of Bengal region.

PM Modi At BIMSTEC Summit

Earlier in the day, PM Modi participated in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, where he welcomed the adoption of the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 and the signing of the BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Agreement.

He also praised the adoption of the Summit Declaration and the Report of the BIMSTEC Eminent Persons Group.

In his address at the summit, PM Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to boosting cooperation across various sectors in the BIMSTEC region. He expressed his hope that these collaborative efforts would bring positive changes to the member states.

Bilateral Meetings On Sidelines Of BIMSTEC

On the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit, PM Modi held several bilateral meetings with world leaders.

• India-Bhutan Relations
  PM Modi met Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and reaffirmed India’s strong and multifaceted relationship with Bhutan. He emphasized the robust cooperation between the two nations in various sectors and termed their friendship as ‘unwavering’.
• India-Nepal Friendship
  PM Modi also met Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and they discussed deepening ties between India and Nepal, particularly in the areas of energy, connectivity, culture, and digital technology. PM Modi emphasized the importance of the relationship and expressed India’s strong commitment to supporting Nepal.
• India-Bangladesh Relations
  During his meeting with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, PM Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to a ‘constructive and people-centric’ relationship with Bangladesh. He also expressed concerns about the safety and well-being of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and emphasized the need for further cooperation on border security.

Bilateral Talks With Thai Leadership

Earlier in the week, PM Modi held talks with his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, on ways to further enhance political, defense, and security cooperation.

The two leaders also discussed improving collaborations in areas such as connectivity, health, education, science and technology, innovation, digital technology, and tourism.

PM Modi also met with former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, referring to him as ‘a great friend of India’.

The two leaders discussed areas of potential cooperation between India and Thailand.

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