The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday, 27 May, said the Government of India has invited the leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) member states for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi on 30 May.
"This is in line with Government's focus on its 'Neighbourhood First' policy," the MEA said.
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, India and Thailand are the member states of BIMSTEC.
The MEA also said that the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, who is the current Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth, who was the Chief Guest at this year's Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, have also been invited.
However, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will miss her Indian counterpart's swearing-in as she will be on a three-nation visit, officials in Dhaka said on Monday, reported 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. She could not attend the previous swearing-in ceremony of Modi in 2014 as she was abroad then too.
"We will keep the media abreast of further details in due course," said MEA.
President Ram Nath Kovind will administer the Oath of Office and Secrecy to Modi and other members of the Union Council of Ministers on 30 May at 7 pm at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi.
The Narendra Modi-led BJP won the general elections on 23 May after a landslide victory with 303 seats.
In 2014, when Modi won his first term, all the SAARC leaders, including the then-prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, attended the swearing in as part of invitations extended to all the member countries of the south Asian grouping.
(With inputs from ANI)
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