External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will pay an official visit to Sri Lanka tomorrow, October 4, and meet with the new Sri Lankan leadership.
In keeping with India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and SAGAR outlook, the visit underlines the shared commitment of the two countries to further deepen the longstanding partnership for mutual benefit, a statement said.
During the visit, EAM Jaishankar is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya.
The EAM and his delegation will also have a meeting with Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Daily Mirror reported.
Minister Jaishankar will be accompanied by senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
EAM Jaishankar will be the first foreign dignitary to meet President Dissanayake and
Prime Minister Amarasuriya after their National People’s Power (NPP) won the presidential poll on September 21.
EAM had met Dissanayake in February this year when the current Sri Lankan president went on an official visit to India when he was in the opposition.
Last month, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval visited Sri Lanka before the elections and met key presidential candidates including Dissanayake.
India has been pushing for renewable energy, power, and port projects in Sri Lanka in the last few years. Some of its projects have been in limbo due to a long approval process and legal challenge in court, Economy Next reported.
