New Delhi, March 24: The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Milinda Moragoda met the Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India Shri Nitin Gadkari today (24) in New Delhi to discuss bilateral cooperation in the transport sector.
The meeting between the Indian Minister and the High Commissioner was held in a very cordial manner, and the discussion centred on a range of matters pertaining to collaboration and partnership between the two countries in the transport sector.
High Commissioner Moragoda requested the assistance of Minister Gadkari in sharing India’s experience in public-private partnerships in the highways sector with Sri Lanka. He proposed to set up a platform through which this experience could be shared with the relevant stakeholders in Sri Lanka. He also suggested that Indian investors could be encouraged to positively look at investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s infrastructure sector. Minister Gadkari expressed his support to these proposals.
As India aims to become a developed economy by 2047, its government has focused on boosting infrastructure, including highways and the road network. India’s spending on infrastructure has gone up manifold times over the last decade to hit a record Rs 10 trillion for the next financial year.
Minister Gadkari and High Commissioner Moragoda also discussed cooperation in the electric mobility sector. They explored the possibility of India sharing its experience, expertise and best practices of the electrical vehicle industry with Sri Lanka. High Commissioner Moragoda also sought the assistance of Minister Gadkari in encouraging Indian private companies from the electric mobility sector to invest in Sri Lanka.
High Commissioner Moragoda briefed the Indian Transport Minister on the economic revival programme in Sri Lanka and observed that India is playing a pivotal role therein.
The High Commissioner also presented a copy of his policy roadmap the ” Integrated Country Strategy for Sri Lanka Diplomatic Missions in India 2021/2023″ to Minister Gadkari and Minister presented a copy of his latest book ‘Unmasking India’ is a compilation of thought articulated by him during the Coronavirus pandemic on the Armanirbhan Bharath through a series of webinars.
Hailing from the State of Maharashtra, Shri Nitin Gadkari is the longest serving Minister for Road Transport and Highways of India currently running his tenure for over eight years since 2014. He also served as the President of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2009 to 2013. Previously, he has held the ministerial portfolios of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises; Shipping; Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation; and Rural Development & Panchayati Raj. He has authored several books as well.
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