A significant step in India-Sri Lanka relations unfolded in New Delhi. “A 24-member delegation of young political leaders from Sri Lanka met Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in New Delhi on Tuesday, with India highlighting their role in ‘deepening’ the bilateral partnership between the two countries,” as per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
“A 24-member delegation of young political leaders from 14 political parties of Sri Lanka called on Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri as they began their two-week-long programme in India.
Foreign Secretary emphasised their valuable role in deepening the #IndiaSriLanka partnership as stakeholders in its future roadmap,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated.
This visit builds on recent high-level engagements. “Last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was the first foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka after Anura Kumara Dissanayake took charge as President,” where “India announced the conversion of completed Line of Credit projects worth USD 20 million into grants and also gifted 22 diesel locomotives to Sri Lankan Railways.”
President Dissanayake’s subsequent visit to India, accompanied by “Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Labour Minister Anil Jayantha,” included meetings with “President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and other senior leaders.”
A “joint statement titled ‘Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future’ was released,” alongside “a protocol to amend the Double Taxation Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for training Sri Lankan civil servants.”
India further committed “USD 14.9 million for a railway signalling project in the Maho-Anuradhapura section” and “offered 100 scholarships each year to students from the University of Jaffna and Eastern University.”
Dissanayake’s visit to Bodh Gaya and business interactions in New Delhi underscored deepening ties. Recent Indian aid, including USD 5 billion in credit lines since 2022, reflects a commitment to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, fostering optimism for sustained collaboration.