Sri Lanka's President Dissanayake Embarks on His Inaugural Foreign Journey to India
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New Delhi, Dec 15 (NationPress) Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has landed in New Delhi on Sunday for a three-day trip to India, marking his inaugural foreign journey since assuming the presidency in September.
According to Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, in a post shared on X, "Warm and special welcome! President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of Sri Lanka received a cordial reception from MoS Dr L Murugan upon his arrival in New Delhi. This visit is President Dissanayake’s first bilateral engagement with India since he took office. It presents an opportunity to enhance India-Sri Lanka relations and inject momentum into the partnership focused on the people."
During his stay, Dissanayake is scheduled to meet with President Droupadi Murmu and engage in discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding bilateral matters of shared interest.
The President will also take part in a business event in Delhi aimed at fostering investment and commercial ties between India and Sri Lanka. Furthermore, he plans to travel to Bodh Gaya as part of his itinerary.
Sri Lanka stands as India’s closest maritime neighbor in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and plays a pivotal role in the Prime Minister’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and India’s Neighbourhood First policy.
President Dissanayake's visit to India is anticipated to further solidify the multifaceted and mutually advantageous collaboration between the two nations.
This visit follows an invitation extended by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar during his trip to Colombo earlier this year, shortly after the National People's Power (NPP) party assumed power.
During his brief visit to Colombo on October 4, Jaishankar met with President Dissanayake and reiterated India's firm commitment to advancing bilateral cooperation rooted in its 'Neighbourhood First' policy and SAGAR vision.
In his discussions with President Dissanayake, the EAM emphasized ongoing projects in energy production and transmission, fuel and LNG supply, solar electrification of religious sites, connectivity, digital public infrastructure, health, and dairy development. He highlighted that these initiatives would contribute to economic sustainability and open new revenue streams.
The Sri Lankan President expressed that India’s economic assistance is vital for realizing his vision of a prosperous Sri Lanka and fulfilling the aspirations of the populace. He pointed out the potential for exporting renewable energy to India, which could lower production costs in Sri Lanka and generate additional resources.
