Agra, June 2: Laos Deputy Prime Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane and his wife, Vatsana Phomvihane, visited the historic Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday.
Phomvihane arrived in New Delhi on Monday for a three-day official visit to India. On Wednesday, he will co-chair the 10th meeting of the India-Laos Joint Commission with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, welcomed him on the social media platform X, stating, “A warm welcome to the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos, Thongsavanh Phomvihane, on his first visit to India. He will co-chair the 10th meeting of the India-Laos Joint Commission with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.”
He noted that India and Laos are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations, and this visit will further enhance the long-standing partnership between the two nations and strengthen cooperation in various sectors.
Phomvihane will also participate in the India-Laos Business Forum on Wednesday, followed by a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Last August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, emphasizing the importance of close ties between the two countries.
Following that meeting, PM Modi expressed on X, “It was a pleasure to meet President Sisoulith. The deep relationship between our countries is mutually beneficial, reflected in trade and culture.”
India and Laos share historical and civilizational ties through cultural heritage such as Buddhism and the Ramayana (Ramakien). Diplomatic relations were established in 1956, and since then, the partnership has remained friendly and mutually beneficial. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, institutional consultation mechanisms include Foreign Office consultations and Joint Commission meetings. The third FOC was held in Vientiane in 2023, and the 9th JCM took place in Vientiane in 2018.
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