Press Information Bureau

At the invitation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, I am departing today for Thailand on an Official visit and to attend the 6^th BIMSTEC Summit.

Over the past decade, BIMSTEC has emerged as a significant forum for promoting regional development, connectivity and economic progress in the Bay of Bengal region. With its geographical location, India’s North Eastern region lies at the heart of BIMSTEC. I look forward to meeting the leaders of the BIMSTEC countries and engaging productively to further strengthen our collaboration with interest of our people in mind.

During my official visit, I will have the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Shinawatra and the Thai leadership, with a common desire to elevate our age-old historical ties, which are based on the strong foundations of shared culture, philosophy, and spiritual thought.

From Thailand, I will pay a two day visit to Sri Lanka from 04-06 April. This follows the highly successful visit of President Disanayaka 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.

I am confident that these visits will build on the foundations of the past and contribute to strengthening our close relationships for the benefit of our people and the wider region.

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MJPS/SR