Leaders of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) nations have been invited for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 30 May.
BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan, apart from India.
“This is in line with government’s focus on its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, who is the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, who was the chief guest at this year’s Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, have also been invited, the ministry said.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will likely miss Modi’s swearing-in as she will be on a three-nation foreign visit, officials told PTI.
According to a government release , Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq will attend the ceremony as the senior most Cabinet member of the Bangladesh government.
Prime Minister Hasina will be on a tri-nation visit to Japan, Saudi Arabia and Finland beginning Tuesday, it said.
Modi will be administered the oath of office for his second term along with his new council of ministers on May 30.
(With PTI inputs)