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

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday embarked on a visit to Thailand, where he will attend the sixth

BIMSTEC summit

. Following the summit, he will travel to

Sri Lanka

for his first visit since the election of its new president.
In his departure statement, PM Modi underscored the significance of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in advancing regional development, connectivity, and economic prosperity over the past decade. He emphasised that India’s Northeastern region plays a central role in BIMSTEC due to its strategic geographical position.

"I look forward to meeting the leaders of the BIMSTEC countries and engaging productively to further strengthen our collaboration with the interests of our people in mind," PM Modi said.

During his time in Thailand, the prime minister will engage with Thai leadership, including Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, to explore ways to enhance bilateral ties. He highlighted that India and Thailand share deep-rooted historical and cultural bonds, which serve as a strong foundation for their partnership.
Following his engagements in Thailand, he will embark on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka starting April 4. The visit comes in the wake of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe's successful trip to India last December.

"This visit will provide an opportunity to review the progress made on the joint vision of 'Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future' and to offer further direction in achieving our common objectives," he said.