Harini Amarasuriya, the prime minister of Sri Lanka, made her first journey to India since taking office on Thursday, arriving on a two-day official visit.
Amarasuriya, who will be in India through October 18, is expected to meet with top political figures to talk about important bilateral issues and ways to improve collaboration across a range of industries.
The prime minister of Sri Lanka is scheduled to give the keynote presentation at the ‘NDTV World Summit’ in New Delhi, which is being organized in collaboration with the Chintan Research Foundation.
In order to investigate partnerships in education, innovation, and technology, Amarasuriya, who also oversees the Education portfolio in Sri Lanka, will travel to NITI Aayog and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.
She will also pay a visit to her alma mater, Hindu College, University of Delhi, where she graduated with distinction.
16 NCC cadets will present a ceremonial Guard of Honor at noon, followed by a symbolic tree planting on the college lawn and student cultural performances at the Sanganeria auditorium, according to the college’s program.
The Sri Lankan leader will also go to a business gathering that aims to improve the two countries’ commercial and trade ties.
“The visit advances the strong and complex bilateral relationship between India and Sri Lanka by carrying on the custom of frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries. India’s ‘MAHASAGAR Vision’ and ‘Neighbourhood First’ strategy would further solidify the friendships,” the MEA said in a statement.
The two countries’ defense connections and bilateral marine cooperation were the main topics of intense talks between Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi and the Lankan Prime Minister earlier in September in Colombo.
During this visit, Prime Minister Amarasuriya “underscored the strategic importance of the ocean for maritime nations and emphasised the imperative of collective efforts to safeguard this shared resource.”
She also emphasized the possibility of closer cooperation in addressing transnational issues like maritime pollution, illicit, unreported, and unregulated fishing, anti-narcotics operations, and maritime terrorism.
The prime minister of Sri Lanka also emphasized the necessity of improved information exchange, increased training cooperation between the Indian and Sri Lankan navy, and tighter coordination in search and rescue operations.
According to the Indian Navy, the meeting demonstrated the two nations’ “shared vision” to “promote peace, stability, and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean Region through mutual trust and cooperation.”
Additionally, this occurs months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of Sri Lanka met in Colombo in April and inked a number of important agreements, including ones pertaining to defense cooperation and the growth of Trincomalee as an energy hub.
Additional Memorandums of Understanding were signed on the following topics: Multi-sectoral Grant Assistance for Eastern Province; Cooperation in the Field of Health and Medicine; Pharmacopoeial Cooperation; Implementation of HVDC Interconnection for Import/Export of Power; and Cooperation in the Field of Sharing Successful Digital Solutions Implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation.
In addition, Prime Minister Modi announced a comprehensive capacity-building program in India that will benefit 700 Sri Lankans each year, the conclusion of bilateral amendatory agreements on debt restructuring, the exhibition of Lord Buddha relics in Sri Lanka on International Vesak Day 2025, and India’s grant assistance for the development of Thirukoneswaram temple in Trincomalee, Sita Eliya temple in Nuwara Eliya, and the Sacred City Complex project in Anuradhapura.
Read More