Modi visits Sri Lanka to boost ties

Reuters
Reuters

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Sri Lanka to strengthen ties and sign key agreements, including a defence pact and energy projects.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Sri Lanka for a three-day visit aimed at deepening bilateral ties.

Modi is expected to hold talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and sign several agreements, including a defence pact that would expand existing cooperation to cover joint military exercises and maritime surveillance.

If signed, the defence cooperation is expected to mark a major turning point in India-Sri Lanka defence relations, moving past the difficult chapter of India’s withdrawal of the Indian Peace Keeping Force from the island nation nearly 35 years ago.

Among the memoranda of understanding to be signed is one for the Indo-Lanka electricity grid connectivity project, which will link Mannar in Sri Lanka to southern India via an undersea cable.

Sri Lanka’s government said the initiative is part of its broader goal to become an energy hub, noting that the grid connection would enable the country to export surplus renewable energy to India and potentially other nations in the region.

Modi’s visit makes him the first global leader to be hosted by Dissanayake since the Sri Lankan president took office in September.

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