MoU agreements have been signed between India and Sri Lanka on several issues. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived in India on Sunday night. He will be visiting India till the 17th. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed him at Hyderabad House in the capital on Monday morning. There a high-level meeting was held between the representatives of the two countries, and the MoU agreement was signed.
This morning, President Dishanay paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi's mausoleum at Rajghat. He was accompanied by L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting of India. He was received at Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Joint Defence Force honoured him with a Guard of Honour.
Prime Minister Modi and. Sri Lankan President Dissanayake held a joint press conference at Hyderabad House. The India-Sri Lanka treaty was signed in their presence. The president and prime minister welcomed each other. "I am delighted that you have chosen India as your first foreign visit," PM Modi said.
On helping Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister said, "India has so far given 5 billion US dollars to Sri Lanka in terms of loans and financial assistance. We have cooperated in 25 places in Sri Lanka. We want to take this development cooperation further. Renovation of signalling system at Kankesanthurai port and Maho-Anuradhapura railway station. We have decided to provide financial assistance to 200 students of Jaffna and Eastern Province every month from next year in the field of education. Scholarships will be given. 1,500 top-level government employees of Sri Lanka will be trained in India.”
Talking about the security of the two countries, Prime Minister Modi said, "We fully agree that our security interests are intertwined. We will soon finalise the Defence Cooperation Agreement in the field of defence. We will also soon have an agreement on hydrography. Colombo Security Conclave on Peace, Security, and Development An important platform for maritime security, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, trafficking and organised crime, humanitarian aid, and disaster relief. Things like civilisation will expand between the citizens of the two countries." He also announced that ferry services between Rameswaram in India and Thalaimanar in Sri Lanka would soon be launched.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in his statement , "I have assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that we will not allow our country's land to be used for anything destructive to India. Sri Lanka's cooperative relationship with India will definitely be better. I reiterate our support to India.""
Recalling the country's economic impasse two years ago, he said, "India has helped us tremendously to come out of the economic crisis. Especially in the debt-free process. I know Sri Lanka occupies an important place in India's foreign policy. Prime Minister Modi has our full support. He also assured us he would protect the integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka.
