Colombo: Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and mentioned “methods to deepen ongoing cooperation and strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties,” and guaranteed India’s continued help to the island nation’s financial rebuilding.
Jaishankar, who’s right here on a day-long go to, lower than a fortnight after President Dissanayake was sworn in, additionally met Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and his counterpart Vijitha Herath.
Jaishankar is the primary overseas dignitary to go to Sri Lanka for the reason that Nationwide Folks’s Energy (NPP) authorities led by Dissanayake got here to energy on September 23.
“Honoured to name on President @anuradisanayake as we speak in Colombo. Conveyed heat greetings of President Droupadi Murmu and PM @narendramodi,” Jaishankar posted on X.
“Admire his heat sentiments and steerage for the India-Sri Lanka relations. Mentioned methods to deepen ongoing cooperation and strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the advantage of folks of two international locations and the area,” he mentioned additional within the submit.
Quickly after, Dissanayake took to X to submit and mentioned discussions focussed on boosting cooperation in tourism, power, and funding and on continued collaboration on fisheries, safety, and nationwide unity.
“Met Indian Exterior Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar as we speak (04), throughout his official go to to Sri Lanka,” he mentioned.
“Discussions targeted on boosting cooperation in tourism, power, and funding. Dr. Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s help for Sri Lanka’s financial restoration. The significance of continued collaboration on fisheries, safety, and nationwide unity was additionally mentioned,” the Sri Lankan president added in his submit on X.
He was earlier obtained on the airport by Sri Lankan Overseas Secretary Aruni Wijewardena and the Indian Excessive Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha.
Jaishankar additionally met Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya after which he posted on X together with the photographs of the 2 leaders: “Happy to fulfill PM @Dr_HariniA as we speak. Conveyed good needs for her new duty. Mentioned Digital Public Infrastructure, coaching and capability constructing. Agreed to work collectively to advance our partnership.” Earlier, Jaishankar met his Sri Lankan counterpart Vijitha Herath. “Concluded wide-ranging and detailed talks with FM Vijitha Herath as we speak in Colombo. Congratulated him as soon as once more on his new obligations,” Jaishankar posted on his X deal with.
“Reviewed numerous dimensions of India-Sri Lanka partnership. Assured him of India’s continued help to Sri Lanka’s financial rebuilding. Our Neighbourhood First Coverage and Sagar outlook will at all times information the development of India-Sri Lanka ties,” he added.
“Minister of Overseas Affairs Vijitha Herath welcomed visiting Indian Exterior Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar at @MFA_SriLanka this afternoon and mentioned a spread of issues of mutual curiosity,” Sri Lanka’s Overseas Ministry posted on its official X deal with.
In April 2022, the island nation declared its first ever sovereign default since gaining Independence from Britain in 1948. The unprecedented monetary disaster led the then president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to stop workplace in 2022 amid civil unrest.
India had then pitched in with about USD 4 billion in help to allow the island nation to get better from a deep financial disaster after it introduced the default on over USD 51 billion overseas loans.
Sri Lanka is India’s key maritime neighbour within the Indian Ocean Area (IOR) and occupies a particular place in its initiatives reminiscent of ‘SAGAR’ (Safety and Progress for All within the Area) and the ‘Neighbourhood First Coverage.’ Whereas in Opposition, Dissanayake had expressed his reservations about a few of the Indian initiatives, particularly on the sustainable power initiatives run by the Adani Group.
Within the run as much as the election, Dissanayake had pledged to annul these initiatives if voted to energy, claiming that the initiatives have been inimical to Sri Lankan pursuits.
Forward of his departure, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi on Thursday mentioned, “In step with India’s Neighbourhood First Coverage and SAGAR outlook, the go to underlines the shared dedication of the 2 international locations to additional deepen the longstanding partnership for mutual profit.” In February, Jaishankar had invited Dissanayake to New Delhi for a familiarisation go to, officers mentioned right here.
(This report has been printed as a part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Other than the headline, no modifying has been performed within the copy by ABP Stay.)