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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi joins hands with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on stage during the public rally in Norwood, Hatton yesterday - Pic by Ruwan Walpola
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yesterday that the friendship between India and Sri Lanka was etched in time by the Buddha and Buddhism imparts an “ever-present radiance” on the relationship.
Prime Minister Modi on Friday participated as a Chief Guest of the opening of the United Nations International Vesak Day celebrations at the BMICH in Colombo.
Speaking at the event, Modi thanked Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the people of Sri Lanka for extending him the honour of being Chief Guest at the Vesak Day celebrations.
Describing how Buddhism, which originated in India, was given to Sri Lanka, Modi said today Sri Lanka takes pride in being among the most important centres of Buddhist teachings and learnings. Centuries later Sri Lanka, through Anagarika Dharmapala, revived the spirit of Buddha in the land of its own origin, he said.
A Buddhist monk using his mobile phone captures India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi gesturing to the audience while arriving at an international Buddhist conference in Colombo yesterday - AFP
“In some way you took us back to our own roots. The world also owes a debt of gratitude to Sri Lanka for preserving some of the most important elements of Buddhist heritage.”
“Vesak is an occasion for us to celebrate this unbroken shared heritage of Buddhism. A heritage that connects some societies across generations and through centuries,” he said.
The Indian premier said that as close neighbours, the relationship between India and Sri Lanka spreads across many layers, adding that it draws strength through the interconnected values of Buddhism.
Modi announced that “to honour and deepen the links of Buddhist heritage” Air India from August this year will operate direct flights between Colombo and Varanasi.
“I believe we are at a moment of great opportunity in our ties with Sri Lanka, an opportunity to achieve a quantum jump in our partnership across different fields,” Prime Minister Modi said.
“We are committed to the economic prosperity of our Sri Lankan brothers and sisters. We will continue to invest in driving positive change and economic growth to deepen our development cooperation. Our strength lies in sharing our knowledge, capacity and prosperity.”
He said India and Sri Lankan are already significant partners in trade and investment and the free flow of trade, investment, technology and ideas across the borders will be to the mutual benefit of the two countries.
“You will find in India a friend and partner that will support your nation-building endeavours,” he said.
Concluding his speech, the Indian Prime Minister said on Vesak his hope was that India and Sri Lanka would work together to uphold the ideals of the Buddha and promote values of peace and accommodation, inclusiveness and compassion in the policies and conduct of both countries’ governments. (Adapted from PTI reporting)
Colombo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the spirit of Indian-origin Tamils in Sri Lanka and announced the construction of an additional 10,000 houses in upcountry areas and the extension of an Emergency Ambulance Service.
Prime Minister Modi assured Tamils that the Government and people of India were with them in their journey towards peace and greater prosperity.
He also announced a series of sops for the Sri Lankans like the establishment of vocational training centres, 10 engineering training centres and labs to impart suitable skills and computer and science labs in plantation schools.
Prime Minister Modi was hailed by a mammoth crowd when he referred to their leaders, such as Saumiyamurthy Thondaman, and appreciated their bid to keep the social fabric of the nation intact.
“Diversity calls for celebration and not confrontation. Sinhala and Tamil people and languages existed harmoniously, we need to strengthen not separate these threads of unity, harmony. Tamils of central Sri Lanka are the best placed for this. We remember and salute the struggle of the Tamil people of central Sri Lanka, their forefathers and leaders like Saumiyamurthy Thondaman,” Prime Minister Modi said.
Recalling the visit of Mahatma Gandhi to the country’s central area 90 years ago to spread the message of socioeconomic development, Prime Minister Modi said that in commemoration of Gandhiji’s historic visit, the Mahatma Gandhi International Centre was set up with Indian assistance in Matale in 2015. (PTI)
pti: Sri Lanka’s former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday night called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and praised bilateral cooperation over the years.
“Rajapaksa’s talks with Modi was a very cordial discussion and he was happy with India-Lanka cooperation over the years,” Indian High Commissioner Taranjith Singh Sandhu told media.
Modi met Rajapaksa at the latter’s request, the High Commissioner said.
Earlier, Rajapaksa claimed that India and Sri Lanka may have signed deals on economic cooperation before Prime Minister Modi’s arrival in the country.
“The information I have is that all deals have already been signed. So the Indian Prime Minister’s arrival or non-arrival would be immaterial,” Rajapaksa told reporters in the central town of Kandy, hours before Modi touched down in Colombo.
The Sinhala strongman who ruled the country for a decade said he held nothing against Modi’s visit.
“The problem will be only if they sign agreements. I understand these have already been signed,” he said.
Briefing media on Modi’s engagements in Colombo, Sandhu said the Prime Minister will not be signing any agreements with Sri Lanka during the visit.
He said the Prime Minister has expressed India’s commitment and support to Sri Lanka and India will be a strong development partner for the island nation’s growth and prosperity.
Modi, on his second visit to Sri Lanka in two years, is here primarily to participate tomorrow in the International Vesak Day celebrations, the biggest festival of Buddhists.
The two countries were set to sign an agreement to lease out oil tanks to India to jointly operate a strategic oil facility in the eastern port district of Trincomalee.
But Sri Lanka’s Opposition parties have objected to the deal, saying the Government was selling state assets to India.
Rajapaksa’s Joint Opposition has led a resistance to the Sirisena Government’s plan to enter into economic cooperation pacts with India, more particularly the Trincomalee venture.
