Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday expressed sorrow at the demise of former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, saying that her efforts to achieve regional policy objectives made a lasting impression among the Lankan public.

In a condolence message sent to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said,

“I have always known Mrs Swaraj as a true friend of Sri Lanka, a neighbour and a relative of Sri Lanka who held a pleasing personality.”

Wickremesinghe said that Swaraj's focus on the bilateral relationship while keeping an interest on achieving regional policy objectives made a lasting impression among the Lankan public.

During her tenure as the Indian foreign minister, the level of friendship between the two countries achieved greater heights, he said.

Swaraj breathed her last Tuesday night after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was 67.