Modi in Kathmandu, will meet BIMSTEC leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Nepal on Thursday to attend the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit and is scheduled to meet leaders from the member countries.

Modi was received at Kathmandu airport by Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwor Pokhrel. All domestic and international flights were suspended for two hours ahead of his arrival as part of security arrangements.

Before attending the inaugural session of the BIMSTEC Summit, Modi and other participating leaders will jointly call on Nepalese President Bidhya Devi Bhandari. This will be followed by a luncheon meeting.

Modi is also scheduled to meet Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.

The Prime Minister will participate in the BIMSTEC inaugural session and address the gathering. He will subsequently hold bilateral talks with his Nepalese and Bangladeshi counterparts, K.P. Oli and Sheikh Hasina.

The talks between Modi and Oli are expected to focus on the progress made following the two leaders' visits to each other's countries in 2017.