Modi reaffirms importance India attaches to relations with Sri Lanka

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday reaffirmed the great importance that India attaches to its relations with Sri Lanka, when the visiting Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Tilak Marapana paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister.

Marapana, accompanied by his spouse and senior officials, arrived in New Delhi on Friday for an official visit to India from 8-10 September.

This is his first overseas visit after assuming office as the Foreign Minister on 15 August 2017.

During the meeting Prime Minister Modi congratulated Minister Marapana on assuming his new responsibility as Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister referred to his fruitful visit to Sri Lanka in May this year for International Vesak Day.

The Prime Minister, reaffirming the great importance that India attaches to its relations with Sri Lanka, said both countries enjoy deep and broad-based ties.

Indian Prime Minister conveyed that he looked forward to continue to work closely with the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to further strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held delegation level talks with the visiting Sri Lankan Minister and his accompanying delegation. The two sides discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and ways to further deepen the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries.

External Affairs Minister also hosted a lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary.