Indian delegation meets President & PM (Pics)

A delegation of senior Authorities of India officers, led by Mr. Vinay Kwatra, International Secretary, and consisting of Shri Ajay Seth, Secretary, Division of Financial Affairs, Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Financial Advisor and Mr. Kartik Pande, Joint Secretary, Indian Ocean Area, Ministry of Exterior Affairs visited Colombo in the present day (23).

The delegation had conferences with President – Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime minister – Ranil Wickremesinghe throughout the go to. The talks between the 2 sides had been held in a frank, cordial and constructive method.

The Indian delegation underscored that the unprecedented current financial, monetary and humanitarian help of over US$ 3.5 billion to the individuals of Sri Lanka was guided by ‘Neighbourhood First’ coverage and Safety and Development for All within the Area (SAGAR) imaginative and prescient of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Through the name on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Indian facet thanked the President of Sri Lanka for his dedication to the event of India-Sri Lanka bilateral relations. Each side had a productive change of views on the present financial scenario in Sri Lanka in addition to India’s ongoing assist. 

Within the assembly with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the 2 sides had an in-depth dialogue on the Sri Lankan financial system and efforts undertaken by the Authorities of Sri Lanka in direction of attaining financial restoration. On this context, each side highlighted the significance of selling India-Sri Lanka funding partnership together with within the fields of infrastructure, connectivity, renewable power and deepening financial linkages between the 2 nations.

The International Secretary of India additionally had a separate assembly along with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Ambassador Aruni Wijewardena. They agreed to work in shut coordination in direction of strengthening diplomatic engagement and enterprise a bilateral go to at an early date.

The Sri Lankan facet appreciated the constant assist of the Authorities and other people of India over the previous few years in a wide range of fields similar to counter-terrorism, maritime safety, catastrophe administration, humanitarian help, growth cooperation, business engagement and people-to-people ties.

The Sri Lankan facet additionally welcomed the assist prolonged by India throughout the conferences on the IMF in March this yr and on subsequent events in several boards together with regional and plurilateral organizations. They additional acknowledged the initiatives taken by the Indian management in encouraging different nations to assist Sri Lanka in coping with the post-COVID normalization of financial exercise.

The event help prolonged by India stands at over USD 5 billion with greater than USD 600 million being in grants, which embody the Sri Lanka Distinctive Digital Id Venture. India continues to be the biggest supply of tourism for Sri Lanka.