PM Narendra Modi in Nepal's Kathmandu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived in Nepal's Kathmandu to attend the 4th BIMSTEC Summit. He is on a two-day visit to Nepal and will be in the capital city on August 30 and 31. Modi was welcomed by Nepal's Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel upon arrival.
The prime minister had departed for Nepal early Thursday, where he will participate in the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation is an international organisation of seven nations of South Asia and South East Asia.
Talking about the summit, the prime minister on Wednesday said his participation in the BIMSTEC summit shows India’s highest priority to its neighbourhood.
It signals India’s strong commitment to continue deepening ties with the "extended neighbourhood" in South-East Asia, Modi added.
"My participation in the summit symbolises India's highest priority to our neighbourhood and our strong commitment to continue deepening our relationship with the extended neighbourhood in South-East Asia," Prime Minister Modi had said.
In a statement before leaving for Nepal, Modi said he will interact with the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand on the margins of the summit.
"I also look forward to meeting Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli and reviewing the progress we have made in our bilateral ties since my last visit to Nepal in May 2018," he said.
Modi said he and Oli will inaugurate the Nepal Bharat Maitri Dharmashala at the Pashupatinath temple complex.
The prime minister said he will interact with all the leaders of BIMSTEC "to further enrich our regional cooperation, enhance our trade ties and advance our collective efforts to build a peaceful and prosperous Bay of Bengal region".
In a statement, the Prime Minister Modi further said, “I am confident that the 4th BISMTEC summit will further consolidate the progress made thus far under BIMSTEC and will chart the course for building a peaceful and prosperous Bay of Bengal Region."
Talking about the theme of the Summit, Modi said, 'Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay of Bengal Region' will help shape a collective response to the common aspirations and challenges by the member countries.
The member countries of the Summit include Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal.
