PM Modi leaves for home after concluding Sri Lanka visit
Colombo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for India on Sunday after concluding a "very productive" visit to Sri Lanka where he held extensive talks with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and witnessed the signing of several agreements to boost cooperation in sectors such as defence, energy and digitalisation.
Modi arrived in the Sri Lankan capital from Thailand, where he attended a summit of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).
"A very productive State Visit to Sri Lanka concludes. PM @narendramodi emplanes for India," the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.
During the prime minister's visit, the two nations inked a defence pact to institutionalise military cooperation, signalling an upward trajectory in defence relations, leaving behind the bitter chapter of India pulling out the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF) from the island nation around 35 years ago.
The prime minister asserted that the security of both nations is interlinked and dependent on each other, reaffirming that New Delhi will always stand with the island nation's people.
Dissanayake said Sri Lanka will not allow its territory to be used in any manner inimical to the security interests of India as well as the region.
The two sides firmed up a total of seven pacts, including one on developing Trincomalee as an "energy hub" under a trilateral framework, which also involved the United Arab Emirates and another agreement on power grid connectivity.
Other notable pacts included cooperation in sharing digital solutions and India's multi-sectoral grant assistance for the Eastern province.
India also firmed up a debt restructuring agreement as part of its economic assistance for Colombo with Modi saying it will facilitate immediate assistance and relief to the people of Sri Lanka.
Modi and Dissanayake also virtually inaugurated the Sampur solar power plant and several other India-assisted projects.
During the wide-ranging talks with Dissanayake, Prime Minister Modi conveyed New Delhi's expectation from Colombo to fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil community in the island nation and conduct provincial council elections.
On Saturday, Sri Lanka conferred its highest civilian award, the Mithra Vibhushana, on Prime Minister Modi in recognition of his role in strengthening the ties between the two countries.
Separately, the prime minister met a group of Tamil leaders from Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka.
In a social media post, Modi said that he reiterated India's “unwavering commitment” to a “life of equality, dignity and justice” for the Tamil community within a united Sri Lanka.
He also met Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa and in a post on X, expressed his appreciation for the opposition leader's personal efforts in fostering India-Sri Lanka ties.
Modi visited the IPKF Memorial in the Sri Lankan capital city and laid a wreath.
He also visited the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple in the historic city of Anuradhapura and paid respects at the Buddhist shrine.
In Anuradhapura, Modi jointly inaugurated with President Dissanayake the track upgrade of the existing Maho-Omanthai railway line.
