(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi is likely to make a brief stopover in Colombo while returning from his visit to the Maldives from June 7-9, the Indian media reports said.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit is a sign of New Delhi’s commitment to assist Sri Lanka in its hour of crisis, the Economic Times reported.
In a sign of solidarity, besides meeting top Lankan leadership, Modi might visit one of the sites of the multiple suicide bombings on Easter Sunday that killed over 250 persons including dozens of Indians, ET has learnt.
The site for the visit could be one of the churches that was attacked in the Easter bombings, ET has further learnt. Modi’s visit is being planned in the backdrop of an NIA team visiting Colombo to assist the probe into terror attacks. Sri Lanka had overlooked India’s alert thrice ahead of the terror strikes.
The PM’s proposed visit to Colombo early in his second term also signals New Delhi’s willingness to engage the southern neighbor amid China’s increasing pressure in India’s neighborhood.
The Sri Lankan President, who has been invited for Modi’s swearing-in ceremony as part of the invite for BIMSTEC leaders, will hold a bilateral dialogue with the PM on Friday. Since his election in 2015, Sirisena has developed a good chemistry with Modi and has been a frequent visitor to Delhi.
