PM Modi emplanes for Thailand and Sri Lanka (PC: MEA)
New Delhi: The prime minister, Narendra Modi, left for a four-day visit to Thailand and Sri Lanka on Thursday to participate in 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok and hold bilateral talks with Sri Lankan leadership in Colombo.
Ahead of leaving for Bangkok, Modi said, “At the invitation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, I am departing today for Thailand on an Official visit and to attend the 6th BIMSTEC Summit.”
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“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 northeastern 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.”
What is BIMSTEC?
Established in 1997, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organization that fosters economic and technical collaboration among countries in the Bay of Bengal region.
Initially it was known as BIST-EC (Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation), but now it is known as BIMSTEC, comprises seven member states with the admission of Myanmar on December 22, 1997, and Bhutan and Nepal in February 2004.
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Since its inception, BIMSTEC has expanded its focus to include connectivity, counterterrorism, technology, trade, security, and people-to-people ties.
The BIMSTEC region brings together 1.7 billion people – 22% of world population with a combined GDP of $5 trillion.
Importance of BIMSTEC for India
BIMSTEC is a platform, wherein India is pursuing its “Neighbourhood First” policy and engaging with the member countries. New Delhi has been playing a proactive role in the grouping as the largest economy in the bloc.
BIMSTEC aligns with India’s “Act East” policy, strengthening ties with Southeast Asian nations.
New Delhi is also actively involved in BIMSTEC-led projects, including the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) Motor Vehicle Agreement, trilateral highways, and port connectivity programs.
Economic development of India’s northeastern states – by linking them to the Bay of Bengal region via Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Through BIMSTEC, India has been able to counter China’s creeping influence in countries around the Bay of Bengal due to the spread of its One Belt and One Road initiative.
Modi on Sri Lanka
On his upcoming trip to Sri Lanka, the prime minister said, “From Thailand, I will pay a two day visit to Sri Lanka from April 4–6. 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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