PM Modi accorded grand welcome in Sri Lanka; meets President Dissanayake

Colombo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Saturday accorded a grand ceremonial welcome at the historic Independence Square in the heart of the Sri Lankan capital, in perhaps the first such honour given to a foreign leader.

The prime minister was received at the Square by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

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).

"PM @narendramodiwas welcomed by President @anuradisanayake with a ceremonial reception at the Independence Square in Colombo," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on 'X'.

"Bilateral discussions to foster a partnership for a shared future & mutual prosperity of our people, lie ahead," he said.

Officials said it was the first time a foreign leader was accorded such a welcome at the Independence Square.

Modi is now holding delegation-level talks with President Dissanayake.

The two sides are expected to come out with around 10 ambitious outcomes, including a defence cooperation agreement and frameworks for deeper engagement in the energy sector.

If signed, the MoU on defence cooperation is set to signal a major upward trajectory in India-Sri Lanka defence, leaving behind the bitter chapter relating to India pulling out the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) from the island nation around 35 years ago.

The prime minister's visit to Sri Lanka comes at a time when the island nation is showing signs of recovery from the economic stress. The country was reeling under a massive economic crisis three years back and India extended financial assistance worth USD 4.5 billion.

After the talks between Modi and Dissanayake, two documents facilitating India's assistance to Sri Lanka on debt restructuring and another one on currency swap are likely to be made public.

The two sides are also expected to seal a separate pact on cooperation in the digital domain.

Modi is also scheduled to lay a wreath at the IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) memorial later in the day.

In an interview with PTI, Indian High Commissioner to Colombo Santosh Jha said on Friday that New Delhi's assistance to the island nation was "unprecedented" in terms of India's assistance to any country in the world.

"It was a huge bit of assistance and we are continuing to work with Sri Lanka in providing it assistance in various areas and that is much appreciated here," Jha said.

In Colombo, Modi and Dissanayake will also dedicate several projects that are being built in that country with India's assistance.

The two leaders will also witness the virtual groundbreaking of the Sampur solar energy project.