Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumar Dissanayake signed a significant defence cooperation MoU during bilateral talks in Colombo. This marks the first such agreement and is complemented by a trilateral pact with the UAE to develop Trincomalee as an energy hub. A total of seven major MoUs were signed, emphasizing shared security interests between the two nations.
PM Modi expressed gratitude for Dissanayake’s sensitivity towards India’s interests and highlighted the interconnectedness of their security. Dissanayake assured that Sri Lanka would not permit actions detrimental to India’s security. The leaders also inaugurated the Sampur solar energy project and discussed further initiatives like a multi-product pipeline and grid interconnection to enhance Sri Lanka’s energy security.
PM Modi highlighted humanitarian concerns for fishermen, urging their quick release, and celebrated the transfer of Gujarat relics to Sri Lanka. He announced a decision to lower interest rates, affirming India’s support, and allocated 2.4 billion Sri Lankan Rupees for Eastern state development. Emphasizing India’s Neighborhood First policy, he acknowledged Sri Lanka’s significance in the Indian Ocean.
