Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrives in Colombo, set to meet Sri Lankan leadership
Colombo, Aug 5
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday arrived in Colombo for a one-day visit to Sri Lanka, where he is scheduled to meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and others.
"Building on regular high-level exchanges between India and Sri Lanka, this visit will reinforce close bilateral ties and strengthen momentum on key initiatives," the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka posted on X.
On Tuesday, India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, handed over 500 litres of Technical Malathion to the island nation's Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, reaffirming India's support to the island nation in its ongoing efforts to control the spread of dengue.
"India stands with Sri Lanka in its fight against dengue. Glad to hand over 500 litres of Technical Malathion to Hon. Minister of Health, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, as a gift from the Government and people of India to support ongoing dengue control efforts in Sri Lanka," Jha posted on X.
On July 27, Jha said that India's assistance for development projects in Sri Lanka has exceeded USD 7.5 billion, with the projects covering all 25 districts. He made these remarks while chairing a review meeting on India-assisted development projects in the island nation along with Sri Lanka's Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment, Anil Jayantha Fernando.
"With over USD 7.5 billion in assistance, including more than USD 850 million in grants, India's people-oriented projects span all 25 districts of Sri Lanka - transforming housing, healthcare, education, railways, energy, and livelihoods across Sri Lanka," the Indian High Commission in Colombo posted on X.
India is Sri Lanka's closest neighbour, and the relationship between the two countries is more than 2,500 years old, sharing a strong civilisational and historical connect. Sri Lanka has a central place in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision, according to the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka statement.
In 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Sri Lanka. He was the first foreign Head of State or Government to visit Sri Lanka since President Dissanayake assumed office in 2024. During the visit, seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering various fields like defence cooperation, health, mass media, energy, connectivity, etc were exchanged.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's heartening to see India's proactive role in the region. The 500 litres of Malathion for dengue control is a practical and timely gesture. We share a deep civilisational bond with Sri Lanka that goes back centuries.
While India's generous assistance to Sri Lanka is commendable, I hope we are also mindful of our own domestic needs. The $7.5 billion could have been used for development in our own border regions or rural areas. Need to balance diplomatic generosity with domestic priorities.
Interesting to see India's continued influence in South Asia. The MAHASAGAR vision seems to be a focused approach to regional stability. Hope this strengthens economic cooperation between the two nations.
Proud of our diplomatic efforts! The fact that PM Modi was the first foreign leader to visit Sri Lanka after the new government took over shows our importance in the region. Looking forward to the outcomes of this Foreign Secretary's visit.
The relationship with Sri Lanka is about more than just aid - it's about shared history and culture. These regular high-level exchanges are important for maintaining regional stability. Hope the MoUs signed during PM Modi's visit are actually implemented on the ground.
S Sarah B It's good to We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.