Your Excellency, President Anura Kumara Disanayaka,
Delegates from both countries,
Friends from the Media,
Greetings!

I warmly welcome President Disanayaka to India. I am pleased that you chose India for your first foreign visit, as President. President Disanayaka’s visit has infused renewed dynamism and energy in our relationship. We have adopted a futuristic vision for our partnership. We have laid emphasis on investment-led growth and connectivity in our economic partnership. And have decided that physical, digital and energy connectivity shall be the key pillars of our partnership. We shall work towards establishing electricity-grid connectivity and multi-product petroleum pipelines between both the nations. The Sampur Solar Power Project shall be accelerated. Additionally, LNG shall be supplied for Sri Lanka’s power plants. Both sides shall endeavour to accomplish ETCA soon, to promote bilateral trade.

Friends,

Till date, India has extended grants and Lines of Credit worth USD 5 Billion to Sri Lanka. We have been providing support to all the 25 districts of Sri Lanka. Our projects have always been selected on the basis of developmental priorities of our partner countries. Taking forward this developmental support, we have decided to provide a grant support towards the rejuvenation of the signalling system of Maho to Anuradhapura Rail Section and Kankesanthurai Port. As part of our educational cooperation, we will be providing monthly scholarships to 200 students of Jaffna and universities in Sri Lanka's Eastern region. In the next five years, 1500 Sri Lankan civil servants will be trained in India. Along with housing, renewable energy and infrastructure, India will also extend its support to Sri Lanka in the sectors of agriculture, dairy and fisheries. India shall partner for the Unique Digital Identity project in Sri Lanka.

Friends,

President Disanayaka and I are in full agreement that our security interests are interconnected. We have decided to quickly finalise the Security Cooperation Agreement. We have also agreed to cooperate on Hydrography. We believe that the Colombo Security Conclave is an important platform for regional peace, security and development. Under this umbrella, support shall be extended in the matters of maritime security, counter terrorism, cyber security, combating smuggling and organized crime, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Friends,

The people to people ties between India and Sri Lanka are rooted in our civilizations. When India declared the Pali language as a Classical Language, Sri Lanka joined us in this celebration. The Ferry Service and the Chennai-Jaffna flight connectivity have not only boosted tourism but have also reinforced cultural ties. We have jointly decided that, post the successful launch of the Nagapattinam - Kankesanthurai Ferry service, we will also initiate a ferry service between Rameshwaram and Talaimannar. Work shall also be initiated to realize the immense potential in tourism through the Buddhism Circuit and Sri Lanka's Ramayana Trail .

Friends,

We also spoke at length about the issues related to the livelihood of our fishermen. We both agreed that we must adopt a humanitarian approach towards this matter. We also talked about reconstruction and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. President Disanayaka apprised me of his inclusive perspective. We hope that the Sri Lankan government shall fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil people. And that they shall fulfil their commitment towards fully implementing the Constitution of Sri Lanka and conducting the Provincial Council Elections.

Friends,

I have assured President Disanayaka that India shall stand as a trusted and reliable partner in his efforts towards nation building. Once again, I extend a warm welcome to President Disanayaka and his delegation to India. I wish him the best for his visit to Bodhgaya, and hope it is full of spiritual energy and inspiration.

Thank you you very much.

DISCLAIMER -This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister's remarks. Original remarks were delivered in Hindi.

***

MJPS/SR