PM Modi leaves for visits to Thailand, Sri Lanka

“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,” he said.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday left for Thailand to attend the sixth BIMSTEC summit, after which he will travel to Sri Lanka for his first visit to the island country since the election of its new president.

In a departure statement, Modi described BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) as a significant forum for promoting regional development, connectivity, and economic progress in the Bay of Bengal region over the past decade.

He highlighted that India’s North Eastern region lies at the heart of BIMSTEC due to its geographical location.

“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,” he added.

During the visit, Modi said he would have the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the Thai leadership, with a shared desire to elevate their long-standing historical ties, which are based on the strong foundations of shared culture, philosophy, and spiritual thought.

From Thailand, he will depart for a two-day visit to Sri Lanka on April 4.

“This follows the highly successful visit of President Ranil Wickremesinghe 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 realise our shared objectives,” Modi said.

He expressed confidence that these visits would build on the foundations of the past and contribute to strengthening the close relationships for the benefit of the people of these countries and the wider region.