Priyanka Tiwari
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PM Narendra Modi arrived in Bangkok on Thursday to a grand reception as he begins his two-day visit to Thailand for the 2025 edition of the BIMSTEC Summit. Upon arrival, he was welcomed by Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Suriya Jungrungreangkit.
Warm Welcome from Indian Diaspora
Dozens of enthusiastic members of the Indian community greeted the Prime Minister with chants of “Modi, Modi,” waving flags and celebrating his arrival. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi shared a message in Thai, stating:
“Looking forward to participating in the upcoming official meeting and promoting cooperation between India and Thailand.”
#WATCH | PM Narendra Modi arrives in Bangkok to attend the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, receives a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora pic.twitter.com/xJOloO21HM
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2025
Strengthening Maritime Bonds
The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized the importance of Thailand as a “special maritime neighbour with shared civilizational bonds.” Modi's visit underscores the maritime and regional focus of the summit, especially as BIMSTEC aims to expand economic and technical collaboration among its seven member nations.
BIMSTEC Leaders Meeting
The Prime Minister will later join heads of states from Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bhutan for key discussions. A major highlight of the summit is the Agreement on Maritime Cooperation, expected to significantly boost connectivity and regional stability across the Bay of Bengal region.
Global Context: Amid Trade Tensions
This year’s BIMSTEC Summit is taking place as global economic tensions rise, with new reciprocal tariffs being announced by US President Donald Trump. Modi’s presence is seen as part of India’s strategic outreach to counterbalance shifting global trade alignments.
First Bilateral Engagements Post-Pandemic
This visit also marks PM Modi’s first official visit to Sri Lanka since the island nation elected its new president. He is scheduled to travel there after the conclusion of the Thailand leg.
PM Modi's Statement Ahead of Visit
Before leaving for Bangkok, the Prime Minister described BIMSTEC as a “significant forum for promoting regional development.” His focus remains on fostering collaboration in technology, economy, and maritime security within the South and Southeast Asian neighborhood.
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