• Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on April 5. 

• PM Modi is the first foreign leader to pay a State visit to Sri Lanka since President Dissanayaka took office in September 2024.

Highlights of the meeting:

• The two leaders held detailed discussions in restricted and delegation level format on further deepening the special and close bilateral ties.

• They reviewed cooperation in the fields of connectivity, development cooperation, economic ties, defence relations, reconciliation and fishermen issues. 

• PM Modi reiterated Sri Lanka’s importance in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision MAHASAGAR. He conveyed India’s continued commitment to assist in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and stabilisation.

• Following the talks, the two leaders virtually inaugurated several projects. These include 5,000 solar rooftop units installed at religious places across Sri Lanka and a temperature-controlled warehousing facility at Dambulla. 

• They virtually participated in the ground-breaking ceremony for the launch of the 120 MW Sampur Solar power project.

• The two leaders inaugurated the 128 km Maho-Omanthai railway line refurbished with Indian assistance of $91.27 million, followed by the launch of construction of an advanced signalling system from Maho to Anuradhapura. The signalling system has been built with Indian grant assistance of $14.89 million.

• The two leaders witnessed the exchange of seven MoUs in the fields of energy, digitisation, defence, health and multi-sectoral assistance in the Eastern Province. 

• PM Modi announced support for the development of the Thirukoneswaram temple in Trincomalee, the Sacred City project in Anuradhapura and the Sita Eliya temple complex in Nuwara Eliya. 

• In the areas of capacity building and economic support, a comprehensive package for training an additional 700 Sri Lankan citizens annually, and the conclusion of Bilateral Amendatory Agreements on Debt Restructuring were also announced.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)