Modi in Kathmandu for Bimstec Summit
"The Prime Minister landed in Kathmandu a short while ago. He will be taking part in the Bimstec Summit being held in the city " Modi s office tweeted around 9 a.m.
Ahead of his departure Modi on Wednesday said that his participation in the event symbolises the priority India accords to deepening ties with India s extended neighbourhood in Southeast Asia.
"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 Southeast Asia " he said in a pre-departure statement in New Delhi.
"During the Summit I will have interactions with all the leaders of Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) 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 " he said.
Bimstec came into existence on June 6 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
It comprises seven countries lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal -- Bangladesh Bhutan India Myanmar Nepal Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The bloc brings together 1.5 billion people or 21 per cent of the world s population and has a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion.
The main objective of Bimstec is technical and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the rim of the Bay of Bengal.
--IANS ab/in
