BIMSTEC leaders invited for Modi's swearing-in

New Delhi, May 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony on Thursday would be attended by leaders from the BIMSTEC member states. Government of India has invited the leaders of the BIMSTEC Member States for the Swearing-in ceremony on May 30, the MEA statement said.

MEA said this is in line with Government's focus on its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of seven nations of South Asia and South East Asia. The BIMSTEC member states are: Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan and India.

The government has invited the leaders of the BIMSTEC member states for the swearing-in ceremony, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in response to questions on the invitations for the swearing-in ceremony. "This is in line with government's focus on its 'Neighbourhood First' policy," the MEA said.

Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, who is the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, who was the Chief Guest at this year's Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, have also been invited, the ministry said.

Modi is the first BJP leader who has been elected for a second term after completion of his five-year tenure, a feat so far achieved only by three Congress leaders -- Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh.

In 2014, PM Modi had invited all SAARC leaders for his swearing-in ceremony.

The President will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Modi will take oath as the Prime Minister on May 30, 2019, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday designated Modi as the next Prime Minister and asked him to form the new government.

The NDA has a strength of 353 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha out of which the BJP has a majority of 303 MPs.