Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya met Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Parliament on Wednesday (9) during his official visit to Sri Lanka.
Amarasuriya expressed her appreciation for India’s continued support to Sri Lanka during periods of national difficulty, including assistance provided following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
She also praised India’s humanitarian and disaster relief efforts under Operation Sagar Bandhu.
The Prime Minister described Sri Lanka-India relations as a longstanding friendship shaped by cultural, historical and religious ties, extending beyond diplomatic and economic cooperation.
Discussions covered bilateral cooperation in trade, development, defence and education, as well as parliamentary and public-sector capacity building, institutional strengthening and good governance.
Amarasuriya stressed the importance of continuing and strengthening the two countries’ longstanding defence cooperation.
Several memorandums of understanding were also signed during Singh’s visit, while the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of expanding regional cooperation in tourism and education.
She also discussed greater cooperation between Sri Lankan universities and specialised Indian institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), to promote knowledge exchange, innovation and skills development. (Newswire)