PM Narendra Modi Attends BIMSTEC Dinner In Bangkok; Holds Talks With Regional Leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined fellow leaders for the BIMSTEC dinner in Bangkok on Thursday evening, where he was welcomed by Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Among the dignitaries present were Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

A video released by the BIMSTEC Secretariat showed PM Modi seated beside both leaders during the gathering.

Thailand’s Prime Minister formally received the attending Heads of State and Government at the event, held as part of the ongoing BIMSTEC Summit.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi met with PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra for bilateral discussions – their second meeting after the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane last October.

The two leaders reviewed the state of India-Thailand relations and explored avenues to enhance cooperation.

They also exchanged perspectives on regional and international matters and witnessed the signing of several bilateral agreements.

“Had a very fruitful meeting with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Bangkok a short while ago. Expressed gratitude to the people and Government of Thailand for the warm welcome and also expressed solidarity with the people of Thailand in the aftermath of the earthquake a few days ago. India’s ‘Act East’ and Thailand’s ‘Act West Policies’ complement each other extremely well and open several possibilities for bilateral cooperation,” Prime Minister Modi posted on X.

Meeting With Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra

PM Modi also had a separate interaction with former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whom he described as ‘a great friend of India.’

Taking to X, PM Modi posted, “It was a delight to meet Mr Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand. He has extensive experience in matters relating to governance and policy making. He is also a great friend of India and had a very warm relationship with Atal Ji. Mr Shinawatra and I talked at length about India-Thailand cooperation and how it benefits the people of our respective countries. We deliberated on the immense potential in areas like defence, trade, culture and more.”

To mark PM Modi’s visit, Thailand released a commemorative stamp featuring 18th-century Ramayan mural paintings.

In his departure statement ahead of the summit, PM Modi had expressed his intention to engage meaningfully with BIMSTEC leaders and work toward deeper regional collaboration.

Also Read: PM Narendra Modi Meets Thaksin Shinawatra; Discusses Stronger India-Thailand Ties