New Delhi: Leaders from all BIMSTEC member-states have confirmed attendance for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony on May 30, according to Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.
The President of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, along with the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, will also be attending the ceremony.
Member countries of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand besides India.
The President of Bangladesh Md. Abdul Hamid, the President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena, the President of Myanmar U Win Myint, the Prime Minister of Bhutan Lotay Tshering, the Prime Minister of Nepal K.P. Sharma Oli, and Thailand's Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach will be heading to New Delhi for the do.
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The decision to invite the leaders from the grouping is in line with the government's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, according to the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.
In 2014, when Modi won his first term, all the SAARC leaders, including the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the swearing-in as part of invitations extended to all the member countries of the South Asian grouping.
