President Murmu Hosts Banquet for Sri Lankan President at Rashtrapati Bhavan

New Delhi, Dec 16 (NationPress) President Droupadi Murmu met her visiting Sri Lankan counterpart Anura Kumara Dissanayake at Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Monday, as per an official announcement.

An official statement indicated that President Murmu hosted a banquet in honor of the visiting Sri Lankan dignitary.

The President's Secretariat mentioned in a release: "While welcoming President Dissanayake and his delegation to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President congratulated him on his success in the recent Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka."

According to President Murmu, Sri Lanka holds a significant position in India's ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and SAGAR Vision.

She emphasized that as a close and trusted partner, India will persist in supporting the Sri Lankan government's initiatives for sustainable economic growth in the neighboring island nation.

President Murmu expressed satisfaction that the Joint Statement adopted today underscores the commitment of both nations to enhance their multifaceted bilateral relationship.

She noted that India's comprehensive development assistance partnership with Sri Lanka is tailored to the priorities and needs of the neighboring country.

Furthermore, President Murmu conveyed her confidence that India's investment-led approach will contribute to economic recovery and stability.

She also highlighted that the historical connections between the peoples of both nations are a vital and valued aspect of their bilateral cooperation.

Both leaders affirmed their belief that this visit will generate momentum for advancing bilateral relations for the peace and prosperity of both nations' citizens.

Earlier, recognizing shared security interests and challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), India and Sri Lanka agreed to bolster defense collaboration, with New Delhi reaffirming its commitment to closely align with Colombo on the island nation's maritime security requirements.

During his bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House on Monday, Sri Lankan President Dissanayake expressed gratitude to India for its support, which included the provision of a Dornier aircraft for maritime surveillance and the establishment of the Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre in Sri Lanka, among other assistance critical for enhancing Sri Lanka's maritime domain awareness.

"He further acknowledged India's role as a 'first responder' for Sri Lanka in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. Notably, the recent success of collaborative efforts between the Indian and Sri Lankan Navies in intercepting vessels trafficking a significant quantity of narcotics was mentioned, and President Dissanayake expressed his appreciation to the Indian Navy," stated the India-Sri Lanka Joint Statement 'Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future' released after the leaders' meeting.

Both sides also decided to explore the feasibility of finalizing a framework agreement on defense cooperation.

With India being Sri Lanka's closest maritime neighbor, Dissanayake reaffirmed Sri Lanka's commitment not to allow its territory to be utilized in any way that could compromise India's security or regional stability.

"I assured the Prime Minister of India that we will not permit our land to be used in any manner that is detrimental to India's interests. Our cooperation with India will undoubtedly thrive, and I want to reaffirm our ongoing support to India," stated the visiting Lankan President during the joint press conference.

The Joint Statement highlighted that both leaders recognized the significance of maintaining regular dialogue grounded in mutual trust and transparency, prioritizing each other's security concerns.

"As natural partners, both leaders emphasized the common challenges faced by the two nations in the Indian Ocean Region and reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate in addressing both traditional and non-traditional threats, ensuring a free, open, safe, and secure Indian Ocean Region," it stated.

Consequently, it was decided to explore the potential of concluding a framework agreement for defense cooperation; enhancing cooperation in hydrography; providing defense platforms and assets to strengthen Sri Lanka’s defense capabilities; intensifying collaboration through joint exercises, maritime surveillance, and defense dialogue; extending assistance to bolster Sri Lanka's disaster mitigation, relief, and rehabilitation capabilities, including training, joint exercises, and sharing best practices; and enhancing capacity building and training for the Sri Lankan defense forces, including tailored training programs as necessary.