PM Modi to hold talks with Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa in New Delhi today. The visiting dignitary will also call on President Ram Nath Kovind. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will also call on the Sri Lankan Prime Minister.  

Mr Rajapaksa arrived in New Delhi yesterday on a five-day visit to India. Minister of State for Human Resources Development Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre received him at the airport. The Sri Lankan Prime Minister will be accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan today. The visiting dignitary will also visit Rajghat to pay tributes to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. Prime Minister Rajapaksa is also



scheduled to visit historic religious sites including Varanasi, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya and Tirupati.    

This is the first visit of Mr Rajapaksa abroad since he took over as Prime Minister. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation which includes Ministers, MPs and top Sri Lankan officials. A host of issues will come up for discussion, including details of projects to be taken up under a fresh 450 million US dollars line of credit announced by India during President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s visit in November. A statement by PM Rajapksa office said the scheduled meetings will build on the strong relationship that already exists between the two countries.