New Delhi, June 1: The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, H.E. Thonglavan Phomvihane, along with his wife Watsana Phomvihane, will be on an official visit to India from June 1 to June 3, 2026.
The Ministry of External Affairs has provided details about his itinerary. According to the schedule, Phomvihane will arrive in New Delhi on Monday night at 9:50 PM. He will be welcomed at the ceremonial lounge of Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
On Tuesday, June 2, the delegation will participate in various events in Agra, although detailed information about the programs has not been released.
On the final day of the visit, Wednesday, June 3, several important meetings are scheduled for the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. At 11 AM, he will meet with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at Hyderabad House. This meeting is expected to discuss bilateral relations between India and Laos, as well as regional and international issues.
At 2 PM, the India-Laos Business Forum will take place, featuring representatives from the business and industrial sectors of both countries. The forum aims to promote economic cooperation and investment opportunities.
At 5 PM, Phomvihane will pay a courtesy visit to the President of India. This meeting is considered significant in strengthening the traditional friendly relations between the two countries.
After concluding his engagements, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos will depart for his home country from New Delhi at 11:30 PM on Wednesday.
India and Laos have maintained close and friendly relations for a long time. This high-level visit is expected to give new momentum to political, economic, and cultural cooperation between the two nations.
The relationship between India and Laos dates back several decades. India established diplomatic relations with Laos in February 1956, three years after Laos gained independence. India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, visited Laos in 1954, and the country’s first President visited in 1956. Laos is strategically significant as it is landlocked and bordered by China and Myanmar, making it important from a trade perspective as well.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also participated in the East Asia Summit held in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, in 2024, during which several important agreements were made. Laos has openly supported India on various occasions, and India has made every effort to strengthen the relationship. Laos has supported India’s bid for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council and was the first country to issue a postage stamp featuring Ram Lalla during the inauguration of the Ram Temple. India also assisted Laos during the COVID-19 pandemic.