Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Sri Lanka’s Colombo on Friday evening to a warm reception and was greeted at Bandaranaike International Airport by five top Sri Lankan ministers, including Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, and Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar.
PM Modi on Saturday morning also received a ceremonial welcome at the Independence Square, where he was received by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
PM Modi in Sri Lanka
PM Modi took to microblogging platform X and thanked the officials who received him, stating, “Landed in Colombo. Grateful to the ministers and dignitaries who welcomed me at the airport. Looking forward to the programmes in Sri Lanka.”
India and Sri Lanka are set to announce around 10 significant agreements during PM Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka, including key partnerships in defence, energy security, and digitalisation, a news agency PTI report said.
The discussions, scheduled for Saturday between PM Modi and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, are expected to mark a new chapter in bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
PM Modi, who reached Sri Lanka after concluding a two-day visit to Thailand, was also welcomed by a group of Indian-origin people at his hotel, the Taj Samudra, where he is staying for the duration of his three-day trip.
This marks the first time that Dissanayake, in his capacity as president, will host a foreign leader. PM Modi’s last visit to Sri Lanka was in 2019.
What is on agenda
PM Modi and Dissanayake will hold both one-on-one and delegation-level talks, which are expected to result in at least 10 major outcomes, including a defence cooperation agreement and expanded collaboration in the energy sector, the PTI report said.
The potential signing of an MoU on defence cooperation is seen as a key development in India-Sri Lanka relations, signaling a new phase in defence ties after the contentious withdrawal of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) from Sri Lanka over three decades ago.
PM Modi’s visit comes at a time when Sri Lanka is recovering from the severe economic crisis that hit the country three years ago. India played a crucial role in providing financial assistance worth $4.5 billion to support Sri Lanka during its time of need.
Following the talks, two key documents related to India’s support for Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring and currency swap are expected to be made public. The two nations are also likely to sign agreements on cooperation in the digital sector.
During P Modi’s visit, several India-assisted projects in Sri Lanka will be inaugurated, including the virtual groundbreaking of the Sampur solar energy project, which is expected to be a milestone in the bilateral partnership.
PM Modi and Dissanayake will also travel to the historic city of Anuradhapura on April 6, where they will pay their respects at the Mahabodhi temple and jointly inaugurate two India-assisted projects.