Faiszer Mustapha says President’s successful visit boost for Indo-Lanka ties

Former Minister and Parliamentarian Faiszer Mustapha said yesterday that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s maiden State visit to India has opened a fresh chapter in the Indo-Lanka relations.

In a statement to the press following the first-ever State visit to India, Mustapha said the President has made the right choice in making his first overseas visit to India since it has been Sri Lanka’s closest and all-time neighbour, whose extended cooperation with the island nation is invaluable and will be of mutual interests.

He said President Rajapaksa has reciprocated his visit with an invitation extended to Indian Premier Narendra Modi. He added that such a visit is going to take the bilateral relations between the two counties to new heights.

In the words of President Rajapaksa, Mustapha stressed: “We are in the region and India is a big power, is a big country.”

While thanking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for offering $ 450 million line of credit to develop infrastructure, economy and strengthen Sri Lanka’s security, Mustapha said that this is going to be the beginning of a wider cooperation in many more sectors between the two countries. Quoting Narendra Modi, Mustapha said: “India will become a trusted partner for development throughout Sri Lanka including North and East...”