Indian External Affairs Minister to visit Sri Lanka

Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar will undertake an official visit to Sri Lanka from January 5 to 7 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

During his visit, Minister Dr. Jaishankar is scheduled to have bilateral meetings with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, the Foreign Ministry said in a media release. 

While this official visit marks the first arrival of a high-level foreign dignitary in Sri Lanka in 2021, it also becomes the earliest official visit outside India for External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar in the New Year.

"Quite uniquely External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar became the first official foreign visitor in Sri Lanka after the Presidential Election in November 2019, who conveyed the congratulations, as well as an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to undertake his first state visit to India. Through such high-level exchanges, both sides are looking forward to strengthen the bilateral relationship in multiple areas of cooperation," the ministry added. 

The visit is arranged through the air-bubble concept amidst Covid-19 travel restrictions in both countries.