PM's visit to Sri Lanka, Thailand will present opportunity to build a positive momentum, says top Indian official

This will be Modi's second meeting with his Thai counterpart  Paetongtarn Shinawatra since October 2024.

“The upcoming visit will present an opportunity to build on the positive momentum in our bilateral ties since the visit of the Prime Minister in 2019. The Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Thailand, Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra. This will be his second meeting with the Thai Prime Minister. He had earlier met her on the margins of the ASEAN summit in Vientiane on 11th of October last year,” he was quoted as saying by ANI news agency.

The Indian official said the two leaders will review progress in the entire gamut of bilateral relations between the countries.

“They will review the progress in the entire gamut of bilateral relations and ways to add greater momentum to the India-Thailand bilateral partnership and also exchange views on the regional and multilateral issues,” he said.

“A number of agreements and declarations are likely to be concluded at the summit. I might also add that the present Secretary General of BIMSE is an Indian ambassador Indibani Pandey, a very distinguished Indian Foreign Service officer who took over as SG last year,” Mazumdar said.

Modi, will visit Sri Lanka and Thailand from April 3 to April 6 when he is scheduled to attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Bangkok, as per the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday.

Thailand

In Thailand, Modi will attend the 6th BIMSTEC Summit on April 4.

He will visit the nation from April 3 to April 4.

Thailand is the current chair of the BIMSTEC.

"This would be the first physical meeting of the BIMSTEC Leaders since the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2018. The last i.e. 5th BIMSTEC Summit was held at Colombo, Sri Lanka in March 2022 in virtual format. The 6th Summit’s theme is 'BIMSTEC – Prosperous, Resilient and Open'. The Leaders are expected to deliberate on ways and means to infuse greater momentum to BIMSTEC cooperation during the Summit," the statement said.

"On the bilateral front, Prime Minister is scheduled to have a meeting with the Prime Minister of Thailand on 3 April 2025," the statement said.

During the meeting, Modi and Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra are expected to review bilateral cooperation and chart the way for future partnership between the countries.

India and Thailand are maritime neighbours with shared civilizational bonds which are underpinned by cultural, linguistic, and religious ties.

Sri Lanka

He will visit Sri Lanka at the invitation of President  Anura Kumara Disanayaka from April 4 to April 6.

"During the visit, Prime Minister will hold discussions with the President of Sri Lanka to review progress made on the areas of cooperation agreed upon in the Joint Vision for "Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future” adopted during the Sri Lankan President’s State Visit to India," read the MEA statement.

Modi will also have meetings with senior dignitaries and political leaders.

As part of the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also travel to Anuradhapura for inauguration of development projects implemented with Indian financial assistance.

Modi last visited Sri Lanka in 2019.