India’s External Affairs Minister arrives in Sri Lanka on a 3-day visit

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday for a three-day official visit on the invitation of Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

The visiting Minister was warmly welcomed by State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya, Foreign Secretary Admiral Jayanath Colombage and Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

He is scheduled to meet President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and several other dignitaries and business leaders during the course of his stay, the High Commission of India in Colombo said.

Minister Jaishankar’s official visit marks the first arrival of a high-level foreign dignitary in Sri Lanka in 2021. It also becomes the earliest official visit outside India for External Affairs Minister in the New Year.

Minister Jaishankar will be engaged in talks with Sri Lanka’s Leadership and Foreign Minister regarding overall bilateral relations during this visit. Through such high-level exchanges, both sides are looking forward to strengthening the bilateral relationship in multiple areas of cooperation, the Foreign Ministry said.