Dissanayake is visiting India for the first time after taking office as President of Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s new President Anura Kumar Dissanayake will visit India from today to December 17. This trip is his first overseas trip after taking office as president. Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that President Dissanayake will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Draupadi Murmu during this period. He was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijita Herat and Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayanta Fernandez.
This visit is of great significance in further strengthening bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that President Dissanayake’s visit is an opportunity to promote multi-level mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. President Dissanayake will also participate in a business event in Delhi where further economic and commercial relations between the two countries will be discussed. Apart from this, he will also visit Bodh Gaya, which is also an important place from his religious point of view.
These issues can be discussed
Maritime security cooperation and other major bilateral and regional issues are likely to be discussed during President Dissanayake’s visit. During the meeting held during the visit of Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar to Colombo in October, the leaders of both countries emphasized the need to further deepen bilateral relations. At this meeting, Jaishankar also expressed his support for Sri Lanka under India’s “Neighborhood First” policy.
When did Dissanayake become president?
Anura Kumar Dissanayake took office as President of Sri Lanka on September 23, 2024. He is the leader of the National People’s Power Party of Sri Lanka and became the party’s chairman after winning the election. Sri Lanka is India’s closest maritime neighbor in the Indian Ocean region and occupies an important position under India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policy. President Dissanayake’s visit is expected to promote cooperation between the two countries in economic, security, cultural and other fields and make important contributions to the future stability and development of the region.
