Colombo, April 19 Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan met Sri Lanka's Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa on Sunday, with discussions held on further deepening bilateral ties.
"During the ongoing visit of Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan to Sri Lanka, Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa called on Vice President in Colombo. Both leaders discussed further strengthening India-Sri Lanka bilateral ties," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.
Premadasa said that he and visiting Indian leader held talks on enhancing trade, deepening economic ties and unlocking practical opportunities that can benefit the two nations.
"Warmly welcome Vice President, C. P. Radhakrishnan, to Sri Lanka on his first bilateral visit. We held constructive discussions on expanding trade, deepening economic ties, and unlocking practical opportunities that can benefit both our nations. Sri Lanka and India are not just neighbours we are true partners with shared history, shared challenges, and a shared future. It is time we move with greater ambition, intent and trust, to reap the benefits of this partnership for all citizens," Premadasa posted on X.
Vice President Radhakrishnan is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka. This visit underscores the growing momentum in diplomatic engagement between the neighbours.
Earlier in the day, the Vice President met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya.
During his meeting with Sri Lankan President Dissanayake, Vice President Radhakrishnan reaffirmed India's commitment to the Neighbourhood policy and further strengthening cooperation for the benefit of the two nations.
"Vice President Shri. C.P. Radhakrishnan called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of Sri Lanka at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo today. They held productive discussions on further deepening the multifaceted India -Sri Lanka ties, rooted in shared history and cultural values," Jaiswal said on X.
In his meeting with Prime Minister Amarasuriya, the two leaders, recalling the shared civilisational heritage between the two countries, discussed the importance of further strengthening the bilateral ties, including people-to-people bonds," he added.
Upon his arrival in Sri Lanka on Sunday, Vice President was accorded a warm welcome in Colombo with a traditional Kandyan dance performance.
The visit is notable as the first bilateral official trip by an Indian Vice President to Sri Lanka. This visit will focus on strengthening the civilisational and people-to-people ties between the two nations.
His engagements also included interactions with leaders of the Indian-origin Tamil community and Tamil representatives from the Northern and Eastern regions of the island nation.
The Vice President will also address members of the Indian diaspora at a community event in Colombo. At the event, he will virtually hand over houses to beneficiaries from Tamil communities constructed under the third phase of the Indian Housing Project. With this phase, the total number of houses built for Tamil communities will reach 50,000, while an additional 10,000 houses are currently being developed under the initiative's fourth phase.
On Monday, VP Radhakrishnan will travel to Nuwara Eliya, where he will visit project sites and interact with the local Tamil community. Indian-origin Tamilians form a significant segment of Sri Lanka's population, numbering around 1.6 million, or approximately 7 per cent.
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