New Delhi, Sep 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Brunei, received a rousing reception by the members of the Indian diaspora on Tuesday. As PM Modi arrived at a hotel in Bandar Seri Begawan, he was heartily greeted by the Indian community who welcomed the Prime Minister with chants of ‘Modi, Modi’.
The Prime Minister’s endearing interaction with the children is also turning many heads on social media. A child presented him a hand-made sketch while he obliged her with his autograph. A video of their heart-warming interaction has gone viral on social media.
Notably, this is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Southeast Asian nation. PM Modi reached Brunei earlier on Tuesday for his first leg of a two-nation tour, including Singapore. While embarking on his Brunei trip on the invitation of Sultan Haji Hassanlal Bokiah, PM Modi spoke about advancing ties with Brunei Darussalam.
“Today, I am embarking on a first-ever bilateral visit to Brunei Darussalam. As we celebrate the 40 years of our diplomatic relations, I look forward to my meetings with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and other esteemed members of the Royal family to advance our historical relationship to new heights,” PM Modi said in his departure note.
The statement was shared by the Ministry of External Affairs. During his visit, the Prime Minister will engage in bilateral discussions focusing on exploring new areas for cooperation in multiple fields, including defence, trade and investment, energy, space technology, health, capacity building, culture, and vibrant people-to-people exchanges.
PM Modi and Brunei Sultan met for the first time on the sidelines of the 25th ASEAN Summit in Myanmar in November 2014. They met again during the 2017 East Asia Summit held in Manila.
After wrapping up his Brunei visit, PM Modi will travel to Singapore on Wednesday, where he is expected to call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and other top leaders. He is also expected to address the leaders of Singapore’s vibrant business community.
IANS