Sri Lankan President Anura Dissanayake will visit India from December 15-17. This trip is seen as a positive indicator of the strengthening relations between India and Sri Lanka.
During his visit, Dissanayake will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu . He will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Deputy Minister of Finance Anil Jayantha Fernando. This visit marks a significant milestone in the bilateral ties between the two nations, particularly after External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar's visit to Colombo shortly after Dissanayake's victory .
Dissanayake's visit was initially put on hold until the completion of the parliamentary election in November, when his National People's Power (NPP) party secured an absolute majority in the 225-member Parliament. The invitation to visit New Delhi was extended by Dr Jaishankar, demonstrating India's eagerness to strengthen ties with the new Sri Lankan administration .
This visit is also significant considering the historical context of India-Sri Lanka relations. Earlier this year, Dissanayake visited Delhi as the leader of opposition, marking the first such visit by a Marxist JVP leader . However, the party had previously been involved in an anti-India movement in Sri Lanka during the 1987-90 period, opposing the Indo-Lanka Accord.
Overall, President Dissanayake's visit to India is a positive development, reflecting the renewed commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.
