(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The Minister of External Affairs of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar today (29) called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who is currently visiting India.
Minister Jaishankar commended the decision by President Rajapaksa to select India as his first overseas State visit since assuming duties. The visit has taken place on an invitation extended by the Indian Prime Minister.
While expressing his hopes that this visit will further cement the long standing relationship between Sri Lanka and India as neibouring countries, the Indian Foreign Minister pledged his government’s fullest cooperation to the new Sri Lankan government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expects to take Indo – Lanka relations towards a new era with a rejuvenated approach to enhance economic development for mutual benefits, Mr. Jaishankar said. Commenting on the business cooperation between the two countries, the Indian Minister said quality governance is a prerequisite for sound collaboration. This will facilitate the influx of foreign investment, he added.
President Rajapaksa expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for the invitation extended to him to visit India and said he hopes to further enhance the bilateral relations.
Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, Secretary to the President, Ravinath Aryasinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign of affairs, S.Atygala, Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Lalith Weeratunga, Honorary advisor to the President and Mr. Sugeeshwara Bandara, Personal Secretary to the President, Sri Lankan High Commissioner in India Austin Fernando and the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Tharanjit Singh Sandu and the Joint Secretary of the Indian Ocean Rim were also present on the occasion.
The National Security Advisor Mr. Ajit Doval also called on President Rajapaksa yesterday.
