Milinda meets Indian Finance Minister to review status of bilateral economic cooperation

High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Milinda Moragoda met with Indian Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the latter’s office in North Block, New Delhi.

This was the latest of a series of meetings High Commissioner Moragoda has had with Minister Sitharaman since November last year on Indian economic cooperation and assistance to Sri Lanka in the context of the present crisis.

At the outset, High Commissioner Moragoda briefed Minister Sitharaman on Sri Lanka’s ongoing discussions with the International Monetary Fund and the present status of the country’s debt restructuring process. He also briefed her on the drastic impact the present economic contraction is having on the poor and vulnerable segments of the population of Sri Lanka.

The High Commissioner once again thanked Minister Sitharaman for the unprecedented emergency assistance that India has extended to Sri Lanka and her personal interventions with bilateral and multilateral partners throughout this challenging and difficult period. High Commissioner Moragoda and Minister Sitharaman also reviewed the status of bilateral economic cooperation and the High Commissioner emphasised that India could play a critical role in Sri Lanka’s economic revival through multi-faceted economic integration between the two countries by enhancing investments, tourism and trade.