PM Modi Holds Bilateral Talks With Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Ink Key MoUs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday held extensive talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka, focusing on further shoring up India-Sri Lankan cooperation in a range of areas, including defence, trade and investment.

The Sri Lankan leader arrived in Delhi on Sunday, his first foreign trip after becoming president in September. Ahead of the talks, Disanayaka was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Photo Credit: PTI

"An extensive agenda encompassing trade, investment, development and security cooperation will be discussed," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on 'X' ahead of the Modi-Disanayaka talks.

On Sunday, the Sri Lankan leader held separate meetings with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval. The Sri Lankan leader will also meet President Droupadi Murmu.

Disanayaka is scheduled to attend a business event in Delhi to promote investment and commercial linkages between India and Sri Lanka.

He is also scheduled to visit Bodh Gaya. Sri Lanka is India's closest maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region and holds a central place in Prime Minister Modi's vision of 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

"The visit of President Disanayaka to India is expected to further strengthen the multi-faceted and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries," it said.

Issues relating to maritime security cooperation are likely to figure during Disanayaka's visit, people familiar with the matter said.

India has been expanding its overall defence and strategic ties with Sri Lanka amid concerns over China's attempts to increase its military presence in the Indian Ocean. The docking of the Chinese missile and satellite tracking ship 'Yuan Wang' at Hambantota port in August 2022 had triggered a diplomatic row between India and Sri Lanka.

Another Chinese warship docked at the Colombo port in August last year. India has been supporting various capacity-building measures of Sri Lankan defence forces, including providing indigenously constructed Offshore Patrol Vessels.