Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon his arrival in Nepal to attend the 4th BIMSTEC Summit, was received by deputy prime minister and defence minister of Nepal Ishwar Pokhrel on Thursday.

Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with regional leaders, including  Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Bangladeshi Premier Sheikh Hasina today.

Before leaving for Nepal, the prime minister, said he will interact with the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand on the margins of the summit whose theme is 'Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region'.

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He also said that his participation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Kathmandu signals India's highest priority to its neighbourhood and a strong commitment to continue deepening ties with the "extended neighbourhood" in South-East Asia.

Modi is also expected to meet Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli to review the progress of both the countries have made since 2018. Both the leaders will also inaugurate the Nepal Bharat Maitri Dharmashala at the Pashupatinath temple complex.

The BIMSTEC, which consists of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal, aims at harnessing shared and accelerated growth through mutual cooperation.