BIMSTEC leaders invited to Modi's swearing-in ceremony

President of the Kyrgyz Republic, who is the current Chair of the SCO, and the PM of Mauritius, who was the chief guest at this year's Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, have also been invited, the MEA said.

Like leaders South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations in 2014, heads of governments from neighbouring BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries are likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his second term on May 30.

As of now, there is no indication of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan being invited.

Sources said leaders of member states of BIMSTEC will attend the swearing in.

Member countries of BIMSTEC include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand besides India.

The invitation is in line with the government's focus on the 'Neighbourhood First' policy, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Monday.

Kumar added that an invite has also been extended to Kyrgyzstan's President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and to the Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth for the occasion.

"Government of India has invited the leaders of the BIMSTEC member states for the swearing-in ceremony. This is in line with the government's focus on its 'Neighbourhood First' policy," Kumar told reporters on Monday.

"The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, who is the current Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and the Prime Minister of Mauritius, who was the Chief Guest at this year's Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, have also been invited," he added.

In 2014, when Modi won his first term, all the SAARC leaders, including the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the swearing-in as part of invitations extended to all the member countries of the South Asian grouping.