New Delhi: The swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be attended by several top leaders from India’s long-standing strategic partners in the region, keeping in line with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have reportedly already confirmed their attendance at the event, which is likely to take place on June 9.
Wickremesinghe spoke with PM Modi over the phone on Wednesday and congratulated him on his historic electoral victory.
The Lankan President’s media division later confirmed that Wickremesinghe had accepted PM Modi’s invitation to visit Delhi, later this week.
“During the conversation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited President Wickremesinghe to his swearing-in ceremony, which President Ranil Wickremesinghe accepted,” the President’s office said in a post on X.
It is to be recalled that in 2019, then President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena graced the swearing-in-ceremony of PM Modi following the resounding victory of the NDA in general elections.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, among the first foreign leaders to congratulate PM Modi on Wednesday, is also likely to travel to the Indian capital for the event.
In 2019, then Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid attended the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi as Prime Minister Hasina was unable to travel in person because of a prior commitment.
It is believed that invites are also being sent to leaders of several other neighbouring countries as well, including Nepal, Bhutan, Mauritius and Maldives.
Nepal PM K.P. Sharma Oli, Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, Thai Agriculture Minister (special envoy of Prime Minister of Thailand) and many other leaders from BIMSTEC grouping participated in the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019.
In 2014, when PM Modi took oath as the Prime Minister for the first time, leaders from the SAARC member states travelled to Delhi to attend the ceremony.
It was for the first time that India had invited all SAARC members to attend a swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister.
–IANS
as/pgh
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