PM Modi to hold virtual bilateral summit with Mahinda Rajapaksa, to review India-Sri Lanka ties
India

PM Modi to hold virtual bilateral summit with Mahinda Rajapaksa, to review India-Sri Lanka ties

PM Modi & his Sri Lankan counterpart Rajapaksa are expected to discuss anti-terror cooperation, overall defence, trade ties and India's development projects in Sri Lanka.

   
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, in New Delhi | PTI

File photo | Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Mahinda Rajapaksa, in New Delhi | PTI

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa will hold a virtual bilateral summit on September 26, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.

The ministry said the summit will give an opportunity to the two leaders to comprehensively review the broad framework of the bilateral relationship.

The two leaders are expected to deliberate on a host of issues like ways to further deepen anti-terror cooperation, boost overall defence and trade ties as well as implementation of India’s development projects in Sri Lanka.

The long-pending Tamil issue in Sri Lanka is also likely to figure in the talks.

India has been pitching for fulfilling the aspirations of the Tamil community in the island nation.

“The virtual bilateral summit will give an opportunity to the two leaders to comprehensively review the broad framework of the bilateral relationship soon after the Parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka and in the context of the time-tested friendly ties between the two countries,” the MEA said in a statement.

Last month, Rajapaksa was sworn in as Sri Lankan prime minister for a fresh term after his party, Sri Lanka People’s Front, secured a two-thirds majority in the parliamentary polls.


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