Flashback 2018: PM Modi visited 22 countries

Bengaluru, Dec 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited 22 countries in 2018, nine more compared to 2017. Out of 22, eight were state visits, 3 were working visits. In 2017, he had visited 13 countries, including eight state visits.

Last year, the number of countries were six less compared to 2016. As of December 2018, PM Modi has made 41 foreign trips on six continents, visiting 59 countries including the visits to USA to attend UN general assembly, to Asian countries, following his neighbourhood first and act east policies.

PM Modi's most important visits were: World Economic Forum in Davos, Informal Summit and SCO summit in China, 10th BRICS summit in South Africa, BIMSTEC summit in Nepal, East Asia Summit in Singapore and G-20 summit in Argentina.

PM Modi's participation in the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland was the first foreign visit of the year. The meeting brought together entrepreneurs, scientists, chief executive and political leaders in Davos January 23 to 26.

PM visited China and Nepal twice this year. PM Modi and President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping held their first Informal Summit in Wuhan on April 27-28, 2018, to exchange views on overarching issues of bilateral and global importance, and to elaborate their respective visions and priorities for national development in the context of the current and future international situation.

PM held bilateral talks with Chinese President after in Qingdao during two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation or SCO summit. It was the first SCO summit since its expansion when India and Pakistan were included as full members at the Astana summit in Kazakhstan last year. The two leaders explored ways to deepen ties in areas of trade and investment, besides reviewing the overall bilateral cooperation between India and China.

Addressing the Plenary Session of the 10th BRICS summit in South Africa, said that India will work with other member states of the economic bloc to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. PM Modi spoke about the "importance of technology, skill development and how effective multilateral cooperation creates a better world". Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are a part of the BRICS group. The leaders of the member states also imparted their hand impression on clay in a symbolic demonstration of our connect to the Cradle of Humankind at Maropeng.

In August, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit was held in Nepal. It is a regional grouping comprising India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. Modi met Oli on the sidelines of the 4th BIMSTEC Summit here and they held a detailed review of all aspects of the bilateral relationship including ways to further deepen economic and trade ties.

During his 5th East Asia Summit in Singapore, the leaders of the grouping discussed global and regional issues, including maritime cooperation. India has been participating in the East Asia Summit since its inception in 2005.

During G-20 Summit in Argentina, PM Modi met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who is in the middle of the controversy regarding the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Also, he met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese premier Xi Jinping for a trilateral meeting aimed at addressing various areas of cooperation among the three nations. This was the second trilateral meeting between India, Russia and China, which took place after a gap of twelve years.