Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held wide-ranging talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa, covering the entire expanse of bilateral ties and with a focus on further expanding cooperation in key areas.
According to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, the virtual bilateral summit is PM Modi’s first such virtual engagement with a neighbouring country and also PM Rajapaksa’s first diplomatic engagement with a leader of a foreign country after he was sworn in as the Prime Minister on August 9, 2020.
At the virtual bilateral summit, PM Modi said he was confident that the massive electoral victory of the ruling party in Sri Lanka backed by the Rajapaksa government’s policies will facilitate deeper cooperation between the two countries.
“An opportunity has come to begin a new chapter in India-Sri Lanka ties after your party’s electoral victory. People from both the countries are looking at us with new hope and expectations,” PM Modi said.
While this is the third virtual summit amidst COVID crisis by PM Modi, this is a first with a leader of the neighbouring country.
While this is the third virtual summit amidst COVID crisis by PM Modi, this is a first with a leader of the neighbouring country.
PM Modi’s first meeting was with Australian PM and second meet with the European Union leadership.
During the virtual meeting, Modi congratulated Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapakse for his recent victory which he said shows “confidence in your leadership” and “will give the opportunity to start a new chapter in Indo-Sri Lanka ties”.
“Under neighbourhood first policy and SAGAR Doctrine, we will give priority to Sri Lanka,” Modi added.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India has announced USD 15 million grant assistance to Sri Lanka for the promotion of Buddhist ties between the two countries.
“Testifying the long and civilization links and cultural heritage between the two countries, Prime Minister Modi announced grant assistance of USD 15 million for the promotion of Buddhist ties between the two countries,” Amt Narang, the Joint Secretary for Indian Ocean Region Division (IOR) of the MEA said on India-Sri Lanka virtual Bilateral Summit.
“This grant will help deepen people to people linkage between the two countries in the sphere of Buddhism,” he added.
MEA official further said that External Affairs Ministers S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla also took part in the meeting. (ANI)