Sri Lankan President Dissanayake to Visit India on His First Overseas Trip
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will embark on a two-day official visit to India from December 15 to 17, marking his first international trip since taking office in September. The announcement was made by Sri Lanka’s Cabinet spokesperson and Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, who confirmed that Dissanayake will meet President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss strengthening bilateral relations. He will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Deputy Minister of Finance Anil Jayantha Fernando.
This visit follows an invitation from External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, who had visited Colombo earlier this year after the National People’s Power (NPP) party came to power. During his October visit, EAM Jaishankar discussed ongoing cooperation in energy production, fuel and LNG supply, solar electrification, connectivity, digital infrastructure, health, and dairy development. The Sri Lankan President expressed his appreciation for India’s economic support, particularly in areas such as debt restructuring and economic stability, which helped Sri Lanka secure financing from the IMF.
Dissanayake’s India visit aims to further strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties, focusing on economic cooperation, regional stability, and reconciliation efforts in Sri Lanka.
