India assures Govt to assist COVID-19 challenges & post economic recovery

Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay reiterated the commitment of India to stand shoulder to shoulder with Sri Lanka in addressing the challenges posed by COVID-19 and in post-COVID economic recovery. “Towards this end, food security, health security, IT cooperation, tourism exchanges, development cooperation partnership, greater investment flows were identified as priority areas,”

This was conveyed when High Commissioner Gopal Baglay paid his first call on Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees in Colombo today morning. The meeting coincided with the 50th anniversary of the election of Hon’ble Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Sri Lankan Parliament. The High Commissioner Gopal Baglay conveyed the good wishes of the Indian leadership on the occasion.

Prime Minister warmly recalled his interactions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi since their first formal engagement exactly six years ago at the swearing in ceremony of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 26 May 2014. He also fondly recalled his latest State Visit to India in February 2020. High Commissioner Gopal Baglay stated that he had come with a mandate to deepen India-Sri Lanka bilateral relations and also to expand their close cooperation.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa recalled this long standing relationship with the people and Government of India. He reiterated his belief that the bilateral relationship would become stronger with the addition of new areas of cooperation.

He agreed with High Commissioner Gopal Baglay that the shared Buddhist heritage and links between India and Sri Lanka provide a platform for robust people-to-people engagement and for bringing the two peoples closer together. He said that he would instruct his relevant officials to consult with the High Commission to further develop such cooperation.