Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Thailand on Thursday on the first leg of his two-nation tour to attend the 6th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit, saying BIMSTEC has over the past decade emerged as a significant forum for promoting regional development, connectivity and economic progress in the Bay of Bengal region.

Mr Modi was accorded a warm welcome on his arrival by top Thai officials and the large Indian diaspora at the Bangkok Airport.

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“Landed in Bangkok, Thailand. Looking forward to participating in the upcoming official engagements and strengthening the bonds of cooperation between India and Thailand,” PM Modi wrote on X shortly after his arrival.

Earlier, in a statement before his departure on his four-day visit to Thailand and Sri Lanka, he observed that with its geographical location, India’s North-Eastern 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 interests of our people in mind,” he added.

The PM said during his visit, he will have the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Shinawatra and the Thai leadership, with a common desire to elevate age-old historical ties, which are based on the strong foundations of shared culture, philosophy, and spiritual thought.

From Thailand, he will pay a two-day visit to Sri Lanka from 4-6 April. 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,” he added.

He expressed the confidence that these visits will build on the foundations of the past and contribute to strengthening close relationships with the two nations for the benefit of people and the wider region.

Shortly after he arrived in Bangkok, Mr Modi, expressing admiration for the deep cultural and civilisational ties between India and Thailand, witnessed an enriching performance of the Thai Ramayana, Ramakien.

In separate posts on X, he wrote: “A cultural connect like no other! Witnessed a captivating performance of the Thai Ramayana, Ramakien. It was a truly enriching experience that beautifully showcased the shared cultural and civilisational ties between India and Thailand. The Ramayana truly continues to connect hearts and traditions across so many parts of Asia.”