Jaishankar Meets President Dissanayake to Strengthen Bilateral Ties

Colombo : Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumar Dissanayake on Friday to discuss ways to enhance India-Sri Lanka relations and deepen ongoing cooperation, particularly in the economic reconstruction of Sri Lanka. Jaishankar reassured India’s continued support for the island nation during the meeting, which took place less than two weeks after President Dissanayake’s swearing-in.

Jaishankar, who is the first foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka following the new government’s formation, also held meetings with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and his Sri Lankan counterpart, Vijitha Herath.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Jaishankar expressed his gratitude for the warm reception, stating, “Honored to meet President Anura Dissanayake in Colombo today. I conveyed warm greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appreciated the President’s guidance on India-Sri Lanka relations.” He added, “We discussed avenues to strengthen ongoing cooperation and enhance bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries and the region.”

President Dissanayake also shared his reflections on X, noting that their discussion emphasized increased cooperation in key sectors such as tourism, energy, and investment, while continuing collaboration on fisheries, security, and national unity. “It was a productive meeting with Indian Foreign Minister @DrSJaishankar, focusing on enhancing cooperation in vital areas,” he posted.

Earlier, Jaishankar was warmly welcomed at the airport by Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Aruni Vijayawardene and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha. The External Affairs Minister also met Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, sharing a photograph from their meeting on X, captioned, “Delighted to meet Prime Minister @Dr_HariniA today.”