New Delhi [India], External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's recent visit to Colombo underlines the primacy that India accords to Sri Lanka in its 'Neighbourhood First' and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in India) vision policies. region), the ministry spokesperson said on Friday. .
Addressing a press conference today, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said a new Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, a nerve center for search and rescue operations at sea established with an Indian grant of 6 million US dollars. in the virtual ceremony.
"This was his first bilateral visit to any country after taking oath as External Affairs Minister...His visit underlines the primacy that India accords to Sri Lanka in a neighborhood-first policy and also in a policy of vision of Sagar," Jaiswal said.
Replying to a question, the MEA spokesperson said Jaishankar visited Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe as well as Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and held delegation-level talks in the presence of several Sri Lankan ministers.
"The EAM visited the President of Sri Lanka. He also visited the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dinesh Gunawardena. They held delegation level talks in which several ministers from the Sri Lankan side were present. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the EAM handed over the power 48 houses under the Model Village housing project in Colombo and Trincomalee districts..." said Randhir Jaiswal.
The 106 houses of Phase III of the Indian Housing Project are located in the districts of Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya.
"Apart from that, the foreign minister visited the opposition leader. He also held separate meetings with former Sri Lankan president Mahindra Rajapaksha and a wide range of leaders from across the political and party spectrum. It was a one-day visit," the MEA spokesperson said.
Jaishankar has visited Sri Lanka five times recently and these visits highlight the importance India attaches to its relationship with Sri Lanka, the spokesperson said.
"This is the foreign minister's fifth visit, as I recall, in the recent past. The four times he visited were in January 2021, March 2022, January 2023 and October 2023. The series of these visits underlines the kind of importance we attach to our neighborly relations with Sri Lanka," Jaiswal said.
Jaishankar's official visit to Sri Lanka on June 20 marked the first bilateral visit undertaken by the EAM after his re-election. It comes hot on the heels of President Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to India on June 9-10 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Moddi following the general elections.
Addressing a press conference today, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said a new Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, a nerve center for search and rescue operations at sea established with an Indian grant of 6 million US dollars. in the virtual ceremony.
"This was his first bilateral visit to any country after taking oath as External Affairs Minister...His visit underlines the primacy that India accords to Sri Lanka in a neighborhood-first policy and also in a policy of vision of Sagar," Jaiswal said.
Replying to a question, the MEA spokesperson said Jaishankar visited Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe as well as Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and held delegation-level talks in the presence of several Sri Lankan ministers.
"The EAM visited the President of Sri Lanka. He also visited the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dinesh Gunawardena. They held delegation level talks in which several ministers from the Sri Lankan side were present. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the EAM handed over the power 48 houses under the Model Village housing project in Colombo and Trincomalee districts..." said Randhir Jaiswal.
The 106 houses of Phase III of the Indian Housing Project are located in the districts of Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya.
"Apart from that, the foreign minister visited the opposition leader. He also held separate meetings with former Sri Lankan president Mahindra Rajapaksha and a wide range of leaders from across the political and party spectrum. It was a one-day visit," the MEA spokesperson said.
Jaishankar has visited Sri Lanka five times recently and these visits highlight the importance India attaches to its relationship with Sri Lanka, the spokesperson said.
"This is the foreign minister's fifth visit, as I recall, in the recent past. The four times he visited were in January 2021, March 2022, January 2023 and October 2023. The series of these visits underlines the kind of importance we attach to our neighborly relations with Sri Lanka," Jaiswal said.
Jaishankar's official visit to Sri Lanka on June 20 marked the first bilateral visit undertaken by the EAM after his re-election. It comes hot on the heels of President Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to India on June 9-10 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Moddi following the general elections.
