Transcript of Special briefing by MEA on Prime Minister's visit to Thailand (April 04, 2025)
India - Ministry of External Affairs
April 04, 2025
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Good afternoon, friends. I welcome you to this special briefing on Prime Minister's ongoing visit to Thailand. We have with us Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri, to brief us on the engagements of the Prime Minister. We are also joined by Secretary (East) Shri P. Kumaran, Joint Secretary BIMSTEC Shri Sugandh Rajaram, and Joint Secretary South Shri Ashish Sinha. With that I invite Foreign Secretary sir to give an overview of the visit. Sir, the floor is yours.
Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary: Thank you Randhir. Good Afternoon Friends. The Prime Minister is on a visit to Thailand ... for an official visit here, a bilateral visit, and also to participate in the sixth BIMSTEC Summit.
The Prime Minister arrived yesterday in the morning, and was warmly received at the airport by Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand ... Minister of Transport. There was also a large gathering of the Indian community that welcomed him at the airport, and at the hotel as well there were members of the Indian community to give him a warm and very special welcome.
You would perhaps have seen already that his first engagement on arrival at the hotel was to witness a performance of Ramakien, the traditional Thai Ramayan which he enjoyed very much and which is a symbol once again of the civilizational ties between our two countries.
Yesterday in the afternoon, the Prime Minister had a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Thailand, Her Excellency Paetongtarn Shinawatra at Government House. The two leaders decided to elevate ties between India and Thailand to the level of a Strategic Partnership, and witnessed the exchange of six memoranda of understanding in the fields of strategic partnership, digital domain, handicrafts and handlooms, MSMEs, and maritime heritage.
As a special gesture, the Thai government marked the visit of the Prime Minister by the release of a postage stamp depicting Ramayan murals from the 18th century.
And in yet another special gesture, symbolic of the shared Buddhist heritage between our two countries, Prime Minister Shinawatra presented to the Prime Minister a set of holy scriptures, the World Ti-Pitaka series in Pali that has been brought out by the Thai government as a special commemorative publication.
Earlier today, the Prime Minister together with other leaders from the region attended the sixth BIMSTEC Summit. He called upon the leaders to look to contribute towards expanding the agenda and the capacity of BIMSTEC for the progress and prosperity of the people of the region. He announced a 21-point action plan to add new vibrancy and vigor to BIMSTEC. These announcements have already been posted on the Ministry of External Affairs website.
Now, on the sidelines of the Summit, the Prime Minister also held a few bilateral meetings. And I'll take this opportunity to brief you on two of the meetings that have been held thus far.
The Prime Minister's first meeting was with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Administration Council of Myanmar.
The Prime Minister offered condolences at the loss of life and the damage caused by the recent earthquake in Myanmar. The two sides exchanged views on India's ongoing efforts under Operation Brahma to provide humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and medical assistance to Myanmar.
As you are aware, we've mounted a very large operation in this regard, and nearly 250 Indian personnel are on the ground in the form of a Field Hospital as well as search and rescue teams, aiding the efforts of Myanmar authorities to look for survivors and to bring succor and relief to those in need.
The Prime Minister conveyed to the Senior General that as the first responder, India stands with Myanmar in this hour of need, and is ready to deploy more material assistance as might be needed.
The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of early restoration of the democratic process in Myanmar, including through credible and inclusive elections, and that India would support all efforts, as it has in the past, at fostering trust and advancing a Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led transition towards a peaceful, stable, and democratic future.
The Prime Minister also appreciated the support that Myanmar has extended for the rescue and repatriation, including very recently, of Indian nationals from cyber-scam centers operating on the borders between Myanmar and Thailand. And both leaders also agreed on the importance of cooperating on matters such as activities of insurgent groups along the borders, transnational crimes, and human trafficking also along the India-Myanmar border.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister also met today with Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. The Prime Minister reiterated India's support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh.
He underlined that India believed in a people-centric approach to the relationship, and highlighted the cooperation between the two countries over a long period of time that has delivered tangible benefits to people in both countries. And in this spirit, he once again underlined to Professor Yunus India's desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on a spirit of pragmatism.
The Prime Minister also urged in this regard that any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided. On the border, strict enforcement of the law and the prevention of illegal border crossings, especially at night, is necessary for maintaining border security and stability. There are a number of bilateral mechanisms between the two countries, and these mechanisms could meet as appropriate to review and take forward our ties.
The Prime Minister also underlined India's concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the Government of Bangladesh would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating all cases of atrocities committed against them.
The Prime Minister also congratulated Bangladesh on assuming the Chair of BIMSTEC, and looked forward to the forum further advancing regional cooperation under the leadership of Bangladesh.
The leaders also exchanged views on other issues, and agreed to enhance consultations and cooperation to advance regional integration, including under the BIMSTEC framework.
The Prime Minister expressed his conviction that all issues of mutual interest between the two countries would continue to be addressed and resolved bilaterally through constructive discussions in the interests of the long-standing and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship between the two countries.
The Prime Minister has a meeting later this afternoon with the Prime Minister of Nepal, His Excellency Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli. We will update you on that meeting as soon as we have the details.
Let me stop there. We have time only for a few questions. So I will turn it over to Randhir.
Vishal Pandey, ABP News: Sir main Vishal Pandey hoon APB News se. Mera sawal hain ki, jab Muhammad Yunus aur Pradhan Mantri Modi ki mulakat hui toh kya usmei Sheikh Hasina ke mudde par bhi batchit hui hain? Aur dusra kya alpasankhyakon par jo aatyachar ho raha hain, us mudde ko Bharat ne aur jordar tarike se uthaya hain ? aur chunav ko lekar bhi koi batchit hui ? Bangladesh mei chunav kab honge?
[Approximate Translation: Question in Hindi] Sir, I am Vishal Pandey from ABP News. My question is—during the meeting between Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Modi, was the issue of Sheikh Hasina also discussed? Secondly, has India raised the issue of atrocities against minorities more forcefully? And was there any discussion related to the upcoming elections in Bangladesh—specifically, when they are likely to be held?
Ayushi Agarwal, ANI: Sir, good afternoon, this is Ayushi Agarwal from ANI. Sir, my question is also related to Prime Minister's meeting with Professor Yunus. Since you told that the minority issue came up during the meeting, was there any assurance given by Yunus ? And also, any discussion regarding the formal request sent by Dhaka to India regarding the extradition of Sheikh Hasina to Dhaka?
Meghna Dev, DD News: Sir Meghna DD News se. Sir mere do prashna hain. Pehna Pradhan Mantri ki jo Muhammad Yunus se jo batchit hui hain usmei kis tarah ki pratikriya samne aayi hain, khas taur par jo alpasankyakon ke khilaf jo hinsa hui hain, aur dusra jo hindu mandiron ko bhi wahan par kai jagahon par tahas-nahas kiya gaya hain uske baare mei bhi. Dusra prashna sir Myanmar par hain, ki kya wahan par Operation Brahma chal raha hain, kai jagah par reports aayi hain ki jo aid ja rahi hain usko bhi kai jagah par roka ja raha hain ya wahan par is tarah ki koi dikkatain aa rahi hain, is par kya koi batchit hui hain?
[Approximate Translation: Question in Hindi] Sir, I have two questions. First, during Prime Minister Modi's meeting with Muhammad Yunus, what kind of response emerged? Particularly concerning the violence against minorities, and reports of attacks and vandalism targeting Hindu temples in various parts of Bangladesh?
Secondly, on Myanmar, there have been reports suggesting that 'Operation Brahma' is underway, and in several areas, the humanitarian aid being sent is reportedly facing obstructions. Has there been any discussion regarding these challenges?
Dhairya Maheshwari, Sputnik: Sir, all the major BIMSEC countries have been impacted by the reciprocal tariff announcement, including Thailand and India. So, could you give us a sense of, you know, there is a collective strategy on how to navigate this protectionist environment, since we also heard from the EAM, talking about, you know, need for an ambitious approach to counter this global churn. Thank you, Sir.
Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary: Thank you. Mere vichar mei aap sabke jo sawal Bangladesh ko leke hain woh yahi do-tin muddon pe hain, toh main sabko ek sath le leta hoon. Dekhiye jahan tak Sheikh Hasina ka sawal hain, aur unke silsile mei jo Bangladesh ki aur se jo nivedan aaya hain main iske baare mei batchit hui thi. Aur jo hamare spokesperson hain unhone pahle hi iske baare mei aapko avgat kiya hua hain, ki hamare pass is mudde pe ek nivedan aaya hain. Is samay is vishay pe kuch aur kehna mere liye uchit nahi hoga.
[Approximate Translation: Answer in Hindi] Thank you. In my view, most of your questions regarding Bangladesh seem to revolve around a few key issues, so let me address them together. As far as Sheikh Hasina is concerned—and the reference that was made in that context from the Bangladesh side—yes, this matter was raised during discussions. As our spokesperson has already informed you earlier, we have indeed received a communication on this issue. At this point, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the subject.
Minorities ki, alpasankyakon ki jo wahan pe halat hain, aur is vishay ko leke batchit mei jo donon leaders ke beech hui, jaisa maine apne remarks mei kahan, Pradhan Mantri ji ne is mudde ko khul ke samne rakha, iske baare mei hamari gehri chinta unhone jatai. Aur iska asar jo baaki samaj pe hota hain uske baare mei Professor Yunus ko avgat karaya. Aur unhone apni aasha jatai ki aakhirkar ye jo mudda hain iski jo jimmedari hain woh Bangladesh sarkar ki hain, aur unhone aasha jatai ki Bangladesh sarkar is vishay pe apni jimmedariyon pe khari utregi aur in chizon ki aage jaanch karegi.
[Approximate Translation: Answer in Hindi] As I mentioned in my earlier remarks, Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of the condition of minorities in Bangladesh candidly during his conversation with Professor Muhammad Yunus. He conveyed India's deep concern on the matter and highlighted the broader societal implications of these developments. The Prime Minister also made it clear that the responsibility for addressing these issues lies with the Government of Bangladesh. He expressed his hope that the government would fulfill its responsibilities with seriousness and ensure that these matters are properly investigated and addressed.
Jahan tak chunav ka sawal hain, dekhiye koi bhi democracy ho usmei regular aur inclusive elections, uska ek bahot hi aham hissa hote hain. Aur humne, Pradhan Mantri ji ne iske baare mei bhi apni soch Professor Yunus se sajha ki, aur aasha jatai ki hum aage chalte ek democratic, inclusive aur stable Bangladesh dekhenge aur usmei elections ka apna ek role hota hain woh sab jante hain.
[Approximate Translation: Answer in Hindi] As far as the issue of elections is concerned, it is well understood that in any democracy, regular and inclusive elections are a vital component. Prime Minister Modi shared his views on this matter with Professor Muhammad Yunus and expressed his hope that, moving forward, we will see a democratic, inclusive, and stable Bangladesh. It is universally acknowledged that elections play a crucial role in achieving that vision.
I think there was a question on Operation Brahma in Myanmar. We have not come across any reports of assistance, at least I can only speak for assistance that we have sent, which is by now approaching close to 800 tons of assistance that has been landed in Myanmar at different points. So, we have thus far not come across any reports that that assistance has been held up. It has reached its destinations. The field hospital has been set up in Mandalay, which is the worst affected area and where assistance is needed the most. The search and rescue teams are operating in Mandalay, again, one of the worst affected areas. So, I think our aid has reached most places where it is required.
We have not yet come across any reports about it being stopped.
Shri P. Kumaran, Secretary (East): You asked about BIMSTEC's response, if any, to the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Let me just limit myself to saying that we are still studying this.
It is a very recent development. We continue to have discussions with the counterparts in the US administration. And plus, we are also trying to first use all available data to try and analyze the implications for our industry, and to address concerns in our own country first before we take it up with any multilateral forum. Thank you.
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: With that, ladies and gentlemen, we come to the close of this press briefing. Thank you very much for your presence.
Bangkok
April 04, 2025
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