In a bid to ramp up economic ties and wrap up the agenda for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri lanka, his Sri lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe will be visiting India from April 25 to April 29.
Wickremesinghe’s trip comes ahead of Modi’s proposed visit to Sri lanka next month to take part in the celebrations marking the UN ‘Vesak Day’, the most important in the Buddhist calendar.
During his visit to New Delhi, Wickremesinghe will be holding discussions with Modi over a luncheon meeting on Wednesday.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Affairs Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister for Road Transport Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari will call on Wickremesinghe.
In Colombo, Wickremesinghe said that development of strategic eastern port town of Trincomalee will be discussed during his meeting with the Indian side. India is also setting up a refinery in the port town apart from infrastructure development.
He added that the lankan Government is looking forward to strengthen economic cooperation with India. The lankan PM’s visit will also be significant in view of the ongoing negotiations on the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India. Discussions on fishermen and the recent episode of firing by lankan Navy that killed one Indian fisherman is also expected to be discussed.
“We have plans for an Indian lNG plant in Trincomalee. That could also be a joint venture with Japan,” the Prime Minister said.
India and Sri lanka will jointly operate the oil storage facility at the strategic eastern port town of Trincomalee. At least, 73 of the 99 storage tanks in Trincomalee are to be managed under a new equity arrangement between the two countries.
After his official engagements in Delhi, the Prime Minister of Sri lanka will be making a private visit outside the Capital. The visit of Prime Minister of Sri lanka to India from April 25, 2017 is a part of India’s continuing engagement with the Government of Sri lanka at the highest level.