Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will leave to India on a state visit today on the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The official visit is the first undertaken by Prime Minister Rajapaksa following his election as Prime Minister.
Prime Minister will call on Indian President Ramnath Kovinth and hold high –level bilateral discussions with his Indian counterpart, Foreign Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and senior officials of the Indian Government.
The visit concludes next Tuesday.
The sectors including politics, trade, development, defense, culture and tourism will be focused in the discussions and these are expected to further the existing relations between the two countries, the PM’s office said.
The possibility to obtain Indian assistance to enhance training opportunities in the fields of vocational training and public services will also be discussed during the visit, the PM’s office said.
The two delegations are scheduled to have discussions on strengthening sub-regional maritime cooperation and key areas under the defense and maritime cooperation that includes the tripartite maritime security pact signed by Sri Lanka, India and Maldives to secure sea routes in the Indian Ocean.
The two parties will also focus on enhancing people-to-people contacts by expanding aviation facilities to the sacred Buddhist sites in India including the “Sanchi Buddhist Complex” in the state of Madya Preadesh.
In addition to the diplomatic engagements, Prime Minister Rajapaksa is scheduled to visit several historic places of worship including Waranasi, Saranath, Bodhgaya and Thirupati during the visit.
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