Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, undertook a three-day official visit to Thailand and Sri Lanka from April 3 to 6, 2025 to strengthen regional cooperation and promote shared development initiatives.
- During the visit to Thailand, PM Narendra Modi participated in the 6th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit, hosted by the current BIMSTEC Chair, Thailand, in Bangkok.
Highlights of the visit to Thailand:
PM of India Narendra Modi was on a two-day official visit to Thailand from April 3 to 4, 2025, on the invitation of the PM of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
- PM Modi and the PM of Thailand Shinawatra held bilateral talk on various areas of cooperation, including defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology (S&T), innovation, space, education, health, culture, tourism, and and signed key Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs):
Key Agreements Signed:
i.India and Thailand issued a Joint Declaration to formally establish the India-Thailand Strategic Partnership, marking a significant step forward to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level by deepening cooperation.
ii.An MoU was signed between the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society of Thailand and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) of India to boost cooperation in digital technologies such as digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and digital innovation.
iii.An MoU was signed between the Sagarmala Division of India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) and the Fine Arts Department of Thailand’s Ministry of Culture to work together on developing the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal in Gujarat.
iv.An MoU was signed between the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP) of Thailand and National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) of India to strengthen cooperation in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.
v.An MoU was signed between the the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) of India to enhance cooperation between India’s North Eastern states and Thailand.
vi.The Creative Economy Agency (CEA) of Thailand and the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC) of India signed an MoU to work together in promoting creative industries and growth of handicrafts and handlooms.
Key Points:
i.Thailand released a special stamp featuring 18th-century Ramayan mural paintings depicting scenes from the ‘Ramakien’, the country’s national epic, to commemorate PM Modi’s visit.
ii.PM of Thailand Shinawatra presented PM Modi with ‘The World Tipitaka: Sajjhaya Phonetic Edition’, a respected collection of Lord Buddha’s teachings and the principal Buddhist scripture, also known as the Tripitaka in Sanskrit.
iii.PM Modi gifted a Dokra Brass Peacock Boat with a Tribal Rider to PM of Thailand Paetongtarn Shinawatra, showcasing traditional metal art from Chhattisgarh, handcrafted using the ancient lost-wax casting method.
iv.PM Modi gifted a brass statue of Sarnath Buddha in Dhyan Mudra to Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and a brocade silk shawl from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (UP) to Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana.
v.PM Modi watched a performance of the Thai version of the Ramayana, called Ramakien, presented by Thai students using a blend of Bharatanatyam from India and Khon dance from Thailand.
Highlights of the Visit to Sri Lanka:
PM of India Narendra Modi was on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka (SL) from April 5 to 6, 2025, on the invitation of the President of SL, Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
- This marked PM Narendra Modi’s fourth official visit to Sri Lanka, following previous visits in 2015, 2017, and 2019.
- During the visit, he visited the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple in Anuradhapura and offered prayers at the sacred Mahabodhi tree.
PM Narendra Modi conferred ‘Mitra Vibhushana’:
During his visit to Sri Lanka, PM Narendra Modi was honoured with the SL’s highest civilian award, the ‘Mithra Vibhushana’ in a ceremony held in Colombo, SL.
- This marks the 22nd International award conferred by a foreign nation to PM Modi.
- The award includes a citation and a silver medal worn around the neck, decorated with nine Sri Lankan gems and symbols like a lotus, globe, sun, moon, and rice sheaves.
Key Agreements:
PM Narendra Modi held discussions with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and witnessed the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) spanning critical sectors such as defence, energy, digital infrastructure, healthcare, and trade.
i.India and SL signed an MoU to set up a High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) power link for importing and exporting electricity between the two countries. The agreement was exchanged between Sri Lanka’s Energy Secretary, Prof. K.T.M. Udayanga Hemapala, and India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri.
ii.Both countries signed an MoU to work together on sharing successful digital solutions used at a large scale for digital transformation. The agreement was exchanged between Waruna Sri Dhanapala, Acting Secretary of SL’s Ministry of Digital Economy, and Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary of India.
iii.An MoU was signed to strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries. The agreement was exchanged between Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd.), Secretary of SL’s Ministry of Defence, and India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
iv.India and SL signed an MoU for providing multi-sectoral grant assistance to SL’s Eastern Province. The agreement was exchanged between Mahinda Siriwardana, Secretary to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka.
v.Both countries signed an MoU to work together in the field of health and medicine. The agreement was exchanged between Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health and Mass Media, and Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka.
vi.India and Sri Lanka signed an MoU on pharmacopoeial cooperation to enhance collaboration on medicine standards, which was exchanged between Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary of SL’s Ministry of Health and Mass Media, and Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to SL.
India, SL, and UAE Sign Pact to Develop Energy Hub:
The Government of India, SL, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed an agreement to jointly develop a major energy hub in Trincomalee, a city in eastern SL.
- The agreement was exchanged between Sri Lanka’s Energy Secretary, Prof. K.T.M. Udayanga Hemapala, and India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri.
- The planned energy hub in Trincomalee, a deep-water port with strategic importance, will include a multi-product pipeline and may use a World War II-era oil tank farm, aiming to become a regional energy centre with support from India and the UAE through joint investment and technology.
PM Modi Inaugrates India-Supported Railway Projects:
PM Narendra Modi, along with SL President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, inaugurated and launch two railway projects supported by India in Anuradhapura, SL.
- The 128 kilometre (km) Maho-Omanthai railway line, refurbished with Indian assistance of USD 91.27 million, was inaugurated, and construction began on a modern signaling system from Maho to Anuradhapura, supported by an Indian grant of USD 14.89 million.
About Sri Lanka:
President- Anura Kumara Dissanayake
Prime Minister (PM)-Harini Nireka Amarasuriya
Capital– Colombo
Currency– Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
