INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday welcomed Finance Minister of Sri Lanka Basil Rajapaksa in New Delhi and held
productive discussions on the economic partnership between India and Sri Lanka.“Welcomed Finance Minister @RealBRajapaksa of Sri Lanka
Held productive discussions on our economic partnership
India continues to respond to the requirements of the people of Sri Lanka,” Jaishankar said in a Tweet.Earlier in the day, the Sri Lankan
Finance Minister met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thanked PM Modi for the support extended by India for the Sri Lankan economy.Rajapaksa
briefed the Prime Minister on initiatives being taken by both countries to increase bilateral economic cooperation and conveyed his thanks
for the support extended by India for the Sri Lankan economy, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.PM Modi spoke about the
central role that Sri Lanka occupies in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and its S.A.G.A.R (Security and Growth for all in the
He reiterated that India would continue to stand with the friendly people of Sri Lanka.Rajapaksa noted the deepening of people-to-people
relations between both countries, including in the cultural sphere
Prime Minister pointed to the potential for increasing tourist flows, including through the joint promotion of Buddhist and Ramayan tourism
circuits.Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla also called on visiting Lankan minister and discussed bilateral economic cooperation and
opportunities post-pandemic
“Sri Lanka is integral to our Neighbourhood First policy
India will always be a reliable partner for Sri Lanka”, the MEA stated.India has stepped up and pledged a whopping USD 2.415 billion to
the island nation to help overcome dire financial constraints caused by external debt payments and a lack of US dollars in the country for
business.In January this year, Jaishankar held a virtual meeting with the Finance Minister of Sri Lanka Basil Rajapaksa and conveyed that
India has always stood with Sri Lanka, and will continue to support Sri Lanka in all possible ways for overcoming the economic and other
challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://adaderana.lk
