New Delhi, March 16 (newsin.asia): The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has stated that India would always stand with Sri Lanka, a close friendly neighbor, when the visiting Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa called on him on Wednesday in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Modi said in a tweet: “Had a good meeting with Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister @RealBRajapaksa.Glad to see our economic partnership strengthen and investments from India grow.”
The Prime Minister spoke about the central role that Sri Lanka occupies in India’s ‘Neighborhood First’ policy and its S.A.G.A.R (Security and Growth for all in the Region) doctrine. He reiterated that India would continue to stand with the friendly people of Sri Lanka.
Finance Minister Rajapaksa noted the deepening people-to-people relations between both countries, including in the cultural sphere. Prime Minister pointed to the potential for increasing tourist flows, including through joint promotion of Buddhist and Ramayan tourism circuits.
Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa is on a two-day official visit to New Delhi to follow-up on the short and medium-term economic cooperation measures that were agreed upon during his visit to India in December last year. Rajapaksa briefed the Prime Minister on initiatives being taken by both countries to increase bilateral economic cooperation and conveyed his thanks for the support extended by India for the Sri Lankan economy.
The meeting between the Prime Minister of India and the Finance Minister of Sri Lanka was held at the former’s office in the Parliament House. The meeting was held in an extremely cordial manner.
At the outset, Finance Minister Rajapaksa thanked Prime Minister Modi for all the assistance that India has provided to Sri Lanka at this critical time. The indian Prime Minister assured the Lankan Minister that India would always stand with Sri Lanka, a close friend.
The two dignitaries discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to the bilateral relationship during the call. The areas included agriculture, renewable energy, digitalization, tourism and fisheries among others.
They Sri Lanka’s decision to move towards organic agriculture. Prime Minister Modi highlighted the advantages of natural farming and India’s experience in developing related techniques and products, including nano-fertilizers, which could be of relevance to Sri Lanka.
The two dignitaries also agreed that cooperation in the development of renewable energy in Sri Lanka is mutually beneficial and that it should be pursued with vigor.
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