• Meets B’desh PM & Indian FM on the sidelines, latter to visit SL ahead of Indian PM’s visit, Trinco investment zone mooted   

President Ranil Wickremesinghe joined the swearing-in ceremony of Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, held on 9 June evening at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, presided over by the Indian President Draupadi Murmu.

The swearing-in ceremony was also attended by other leaders from the neighbourhood including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius, Seychelles, and the Maldives.

Modi has been elected as the Premier for the third consecutive term.

President Wickremesinghe’s arrival received significant media coverage in India, with billboards featuring his and Modi’s images displayed around key locations in New Delhi.

Modi’s party alliance secured victory in the Indian General Election, which was conducted over seven phases spanning 44 days. Following the confirmation of this victory, Modi was officially appointed as the Leader of the National Democratic Alliance.

Meanwhile, President Wickremesinghe has held a discussion with the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi, India. The bilateral meeting took place while they were in New Delhi to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new Indian Government at the invitation of Modi.

President Wickremesinghe also met with the Minister of External Affairs of India Dr. S. Jaishankar in New Delhi. During the meeting, Dr. Jaishankar addressed the swift resumption of development projects initiated in Sri Lanka with Indian investments, which had been halted midway. He expressed his intent to visit Sri Lanka in the near future to oversee the progress of these activities. Minister Jaishankar assured that he would visit Sri Lanka soon to coordinate Premier Modi’s visit and expedite the commencement of development projects funded by Indian investments. 

The discussions also covered India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. Minister Jaishankar highlighted plans for an industrial zone in Trincomalee, to be established by the Indian Government, which will attract numerous Indian investors and potentially investors from other countries. President Wickremesinghe noted that the proposed new Economic Transformation Act will devolve powers in agriculture, health, education, and economic management to the Provincial Councils. President Wickremesinghe also mentioned that the Truth and Reconciliation Bill will be submitted to the Parliament by next month (July). 

The meeting also covered the agricultural modernisation programme being implemented in the country and addressed the ongoing issues between the fishermen of both the nations, aiming for a swift resolution. President Wickremesinghe announced that estate line rooms will be designated as estate villages through a gazette notification, allowing for their development under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The President also recalled his invitation to the Indian Prime Minister to visit Sri Lanka in the near future.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Modi met with the visiting leaders and reaffirmed India’s commitment to its’ ‘neighbourhood first’ policy and the ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region Vision’. He emphasised that India will continue to work for the peace, progress and prosperity of the region in close partnership with the countries, even as it pursues its goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. In this context, he called for deeper people to people ties and connectivity in the region. He further added that India would continue to amplify the voice of the global South in the international arena.