Foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera to visit India

Sri Lankan foreign minister MangalaSamaraweera will visit India on January 18 in what will be the first high level exchange between the 2 countries since the new government in the island nation took over, the Times of India reported. Samaraweera decided to make India his first port of call after receiving an invite from his counterpart Sushma Swaraj. PM Narendra Modi had earlier invited President Maithripala Sirisena to visit India at the earliest. Sirisena's spokesperson responded by saying that the president's first overseas trip would be to India. Swaraj had a telephonic conversation last evening with the newly appointed Samaraweera. Swaraj congratulated him and invited him to visit India at an early date. This was followed by a written invitation. "The invitation has now been accepted. Mr. Samaraweera has decided to visit India, his first overseas visit as Foreign Minister, for discussions with Smt. Swaraj on 18 January" said a source.