Indian Foreign Secretary concludes successful Lankan visit

Indian Foreign Secretary Dr. S. Jaishankar visited Sri Lanka from 18-20 February for bilateral discussions with Sri Lankan leaders. His visit is part of the continued high level engagement between the two countries.

During his visit, Dr. Jaishankar called on President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He also met Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama and other senior ministers as well as the Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Esala Weerakoon.

Dr. Jaishankar also interacted with a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation led by Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan, a delegation from the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) comprising Minister of National Co-existence Dialogue and Official Languages Mano Ganesan, Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development P. Digambaran, State Minister of Education V. Radhakrishnan and a delegation from the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) led by A. Thondaman. Dr. Jaishankar met with the leader of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), City Planning and Water Supply Minister Rauff Hakeem and leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.

Dr. Jaishankar reviewed the entire gamut of our bilateral relations, particularly Indian assisted economic projects and development particularly with Sri Lanka. In response to the drought situation in Sri Lanka, Dr. Jaishankar told Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera on behalf of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that India would donate eight water bowsers and 100 tonnes of rice as immediate assistance and was ready to provide further assistance as required.