Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bangkok on Thursday to participate in the 6th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). His visit marks a key moment in India’s diplomatic engagement with regional partners.
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), announced Modi’s visit on X, stating, “PM @narendramodi departs on a visit to Thailand & Sri Lanka.” Following his participation in the BIMSTEC Summit, PM Modi will proceed on an official state visit to Sri Lanka.
Upon his arrival, members of the Indian diaspora in Thailand warmly welcomed the Prime Minister with chants of ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jai Hind.’ Expressing enthusiasm, Ravi Kumar, President of the Telugu Association, told ANI, “We are excited to see PM Modi here today. We hope for more direct flights between Thailand and India and look forward to positive changes under his leadership.”
Vaishali Tushar Urumkar, President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad Association in Thailand, echoed similar sentiments: “We are thrilled about PM Modi’s visit. Everyone has been talking about it, and we eagerly anticipate meeting him.”
A member of the Indian diaspora shared, “It is wonderful to have Prime Minister Modi visiting Thailand. We hope to discuss India-Thailand relations with him.”
PM Modi is visiting Thailand at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. He outlined his itinerary in a post on X, highlighting his goal of strengthening ties with Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the broader BIMSTEC region. “Over the next three days, I will be visiting Thailand and Sri Lanka to take part in various programs aimed at boosting India’s cooperation with these nations and the BIMSTEC countries,” he wrote.
During his stay, PM Modi is scheduled to meet Thai Prime Minister Shinawatra to discuss a wide range of India-Thailand relations. He will also meet Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn as part of his diplomatic engagements.
According to the MEA, this is the first in-person meeting of BIMSTEC leaders since the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2018. The 5th Summit, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in March 2022, took place in a virtual format. The theme of this year’s summit is “BIMSTEC – Prosperous, Resilient and Open,” with discussions expected to focus on accelerating regional cooperation and development.
The 6th BIMSTEC Summit, set to take place on Friday, marks a significant regional engagement between India and its neighboring nations, reinforcing economic and strategic collaboration within the BIMSTEC framework.
