Indian Prime Minister Modi to participate in the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok during April
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Attend Bimstec Summit and Visit Sri Lanka
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the Bimstec summit in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 3-4. This summit brings together seven countries: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, to focus on advancing regional economic and technical cooperation.
The Bimstec summit, originally scheduled for last year but postponed due to political instability in Thailand, will adopt the Bangkok Declaration and emphasize implementing the Bimstec Trade Facilitation Strategic Framework 2030 and the Bangkok Vision 2030. These initiatives aim to enhance connectivity, sustainable development, and economic integration in the Bay of Bengal region.
Key agenda points include trade and economic cooperation enhancement, strengthening maritime transport and logistics, and promoting cooperation across multiple sectors. Fast-tracking projects like the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project are part of the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity (2018-2028).
Bangladesh will assume the chairmanship for 2023-27, giving it a leadership role in pushing the implementation of BIMSTEC's strategic plans, including the Bangkok Vision 2030. This reflects Bimstec's continuing mission since its 1997 inception to strengthen economic and technical cooperation among its South and Southeast Asian member states.
In addition to the Bimstec summit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to visit Sri Lanka early next month. The details of the visit, including a potential bilateral meeting with the head of Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, remain unclear. However, it is known that Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held talks and announced increased cooperation in various fields during a visit to New Delhi in December last year.
India has so far given $5 billion, including both lines of credit and grant assistance, to Sri Lanka. Modi described physical, energy, and digital connectivity as important pillars in bilateral ties. The fields of cooperation between the two nations include development assistance, trade, digital technology, energy, defence and security, connectivity, and people-to-people ties.
The security situation in Myanmar has severely deteriorated since last year, while ties between India and Bangladesh have also deteriorated since Sheikh Hasina was ousted as prime minister of Bangladesh in August last year. Despite these challenges, Bimstec remains a priority for India, as the South Asian grouping Saarc lapsed into a deep freeze.
References:
- BIMSTEC
- BIMSTEC Summit
- Bangkok Declaration
- BIMSTEC Trade Facilitation Strategic Framework 2030
- Bangkok Vision 2030
- Bangladesh assumes BIMSTEC chairmanship
- The Bimstec Summit, where India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending, will adopt the Bangkok Declaration and focus on implementing the Bimstec Trade Facilitation Strategic Framework 2030 and the Bangkok Vision 2030, which aim to boost regional economic and technical cooperation.
- Besides attending the Bimstec Summit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to discuss increased cooperation with Sri Lanka on various fields such as development assistance, trade, digital technology, energy, defence and security, connectivity, and people-to-people ties during his upcoming visit to Sri Lanka.
