PM Modi meets Sri Lankan opposition leader Premadasa, underlines bipartisan support for India-SL ties

Colombo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday underlined that the "special partnership" between India and Sri Lanka is endorsed across party lines in the island nation as he met Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa here.

Modi landed in Colombo last evening after concluding his trip to Bangkok where he attended a summit of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).

In a post on X following his meeting with Premadasa, Modi expressed his appreciation for the opposition leader's personal efforts in fostering India-Sri Lanka ties.

"Glad to meet Sri Lanka’s Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Sajith Premadasa. Appreciated his personal contribution and commitment to strengthening India-Sri Lanka friendship.

"Our special partnership receives support in Sri Lanka cutting across party lines. Our cooperation and robust development partnership are guided by the welfare of the people of our two countries,” the prime minister wrote, sharing some photographs of the meeting.

Premadasa, the leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party and a key figure in Sri Lankan politics, is a vocal advocate of regional cooperation.