Northeast Being Developed As Gateway To Southeast Asia: PM Modi In Thailand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed the Indian community at the 'Sawasdee PM Modi' event in Bangkok and stressed that connectivity between Thailand, Myanmar and North East India will be seamless once the trilateral highway is thrown open.

"Our focus is to connect India's North East with Thailand. North East is being developed as a gateway to Southeast Asia. This initiative will immensely strengthen India's Act East Policy and Thailand's Act West Policy," PM Modi said in his address at the 'Sawasdee PM Modi' event.

“This is my first official visit to Thailand, and I can see a lot of Indianness in various aspects in this country, be it culture, food habits or social values...The entire world celebrated Diwali along with India, and I can see that it was the case here too,” he said.

In his nearly 50-minute speech PM Modi also spoke on a range of issues including the welfare measures rolled out by his government, his return to power with a bigger mandate in the Lok Sabha elections, strength of the Indian economy, importance of Indian diaspora in overall growth of the country and how India is emerging as a “major power” globally.

PM Modi also said that India has eliminated a big reason behind sowing of seeds of terrorism and separatism, in a clear reference to abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and reorganisation of the state.

The prime minister’s remarks on Kashmir at an Indian diaspora meet in this bustling Thai capital city were greeted with laud applause and a standing ovation by around 5,000 people.

“You are aware that India has decided to eliminate a big reason behind sowing of seeds of terrorism and separatism,” Modi said.

“When a decision is right, its echo is heard across the globe. And I can hear it in Thailand as well,” he said at the ‘Sawasdee PM Modi’ event at an indoor stadium in central Bangkok.

The government has been maintaining that Article 370 providing special status to Jammu and Kashmir was a reason behind terrorism and separatism in the state.

As people stood up and hailed his remarks, Modi said the standing ovation was for India’s Parliament and parliamentarians and that their blessings will further energize Indian lawmakers to work harder for the nation.

“Your standing ovation will further energize our Parliamentarians. It is a salute to India’s Parliament,” he said.

In his address, PM Modi also traced historical and cultural links between India and Thailand, saying the relationship has been of ‘heart and soul’.

With PTI Inputs