Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 4 met Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei at his official residence Istana Nurul Iman and held bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening the bond between India and Brunei.
The meetings also focused on reinforcing India’s commitment to its Act East’ policy and advancing its vision of the Indo-Pacific.
PM Modi was warmly welcomed by Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei and his close family members.
Following the meeting, PM Modi is scheduled to attend an official luncheon hosted by Sultan Bolkiah before departing for Singapore later in the day, marking the second leg of his two-nation visit.
PM Modi shared details of his meeting on social media platform X, stating, “Delighted to meet His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. Our talks were wide-ranging and included ways to further cement bilateral ties between our nations. We are going to further expand trade ties, commercial linkages, and people-to-people exchanges.”
PM Modi’s visit is significant as it is the first-ever bilateral trip by an Indian PM to the Southeast Asian nation, and it coincides with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Brunei. Upon arrival, PM Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome and was warmly received by Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office of Brunei.
He also visited the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, a renowned structure in the region named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei, who is also the father of the current Sultan Bolkiah.
