(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today telephoned President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and greeted them for the New Year and also discussed relations between India and Sri Lanka.
Modi had separate telephone conversations with Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, The Druk Gyalpo of Kingdom of Bhutan and Lyonchhen (Dr.) Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of Bhutan, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President and Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Maldives, Ms. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh and K.P. Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal.
The Prime Minister conveyed to the leaders his New Year greetings and good wishes on behalf of the people of India and on his own behalf. He emphasized India’s commitment to ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and the vision of shared peace, security, prosperity and progress for all of India’s friends and partners in the region.
President Rajapaksa warmly reciprocated the wishes of the Indian Prime Minister and expressed confidence that India and Sri Lanka would further enhance their friendly ties in the year 2020. The two leaders reiterated their commitment to closely work together towards this end.
Speaking to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s commitment to further expand the close and extensive cooperation with Sri Lanka. Prime Minister Rajapaksa reciprocated the wishes warmly and expressed keen desire to further enhance relations between the two countries.
