Your Majesty,

I express my heartfelt gratitude to you and the entire royal family for your gracious words, warm welcome, and hospitality.

First of all, on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I extend my heartfelt greetings to you and the people of Brunei on the 40th anniversary of your independence.

Your Majesty,

We have centuries-old cultural ties. The foundation of our friendship is this great cultural tradition. Under your leadership, our relations have been growing stronger day by day. The people of India still fondly remember with great pride your visit to India as the chief guest at our Republic Day in 2018.

Your Majesty,

I am extremely pleased that at the beginning of my third term, I have the opportunity to visit Brunei and discuss future matters with you. It is also a pleasant coincidence that we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of our bilateral partnership. Brunei being an important partner in India's Act East policy and Indo-Pacific vision is a guarantee of a bright future for us. We respect each other's sentiments. I am confident that this visit and our discussions will provide strategic direction to our relations for the times to come. Once again, on this occasion, I express my heartfelt gratitude to you.

DISCLAIMER - This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister's remarks. Original remarks were delivered in Hindi.

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MJPS/ST