New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on official visits to Thailand and Sri Lanka from April 03 to April 06, further reaffirming India's commitment to its 'Neighbourhood First' policy, 'Act East' policy, and 'MAHASAGAR' and vision of the Indo-Pacific. At the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, PM Modi will visit Bangkok from April 03-04 to participate in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit. The summit, scheduled for April 04, will be hosted by Thailand, the current BIMSTEC Chair. This will mark PM Modi's third visit to Thailand.

This would also be the first in-person meeting of BIMSTEC Leaders since the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2018. The last summit, the 5th BIMSTEC Summit, was held virtually in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in March 2022. Announcing the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, "The leaders are expected to deliberate on ways and means to infuse greater momentum to BIMSTEC cooperation during the Summit." The theme for the 6th summit is "BIMSTEC -- Prosperous, Resilient and Open." The MEA highlighted that discussions will focus on institutional and capacity-building measures to strengthen collaboration within the BIMSTEC framework.

"India has been taking a number of initiatives in BIMSTEC to strengthen regional cooperation and partnership, including in enhancing security; facilitating trade and investment; establishing physical, maritime, and digital connectivity; collaborating in food, energy, climate, and human security; promoting capacity building and skill development; and enhancing people-to-people ties," the statement read. On the bilateral front, PM Modi will hold a meeting with Prime Minister Shinawatra on April 03 to review existing cooperation and discuss the roadmap for future partnerships between the two countries. India and Thailand share strong civilisational bonds, with deep-rooted cultural, linguistic, and religious ties, further strengthened by their maritime proximity.

Following his Thailand visit, PM Modi will travel to Sri Lanka on a State Visit from April 04-06 at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. During the visit, he will engage in discussions with President Dissanayake to review the progress made on areas of cooperation outlined in the Joint Vision for "Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future," which was adopted during the Sri Lankan President's State Visit to India. In addition to high-level discussions, PM Modi will meet senior dignitaries and political leaders. As part of his engagements in Sri Lanka, he will visit Anuradhapura to inaugurate development projects that have been implemented with Indian financial assistance.

PM Modi last visited Sri Lanka in 2019. Previously, Sri Lankan President Dissanayake had chosen India as the destination for his first official foreign visit after assuming office, highlighting the strong bilateral relationship between the two nations. India and Sri Lanka share deep-rooted civilisational and historical ties, and this visit is expected to strengthen their multifaceted partnership. The MEA underscored the significance of the trip, stating, "Prime Minister's visit to Thailand and Sri Lanka, and his participation in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit will reaffirm India's commitment to its 'Neighbourhood First' policy, 'Act East' policy, 'MAHASAGAR' (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision, and vision of the Indo-Pacific."

/IANS