PM Modi Holds Talks with Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi today held talks with his Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa covering the entire expanse of bilateral ties between the two countries including in areas of defence and security.

Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived here yesterday on a five-day visit, his first overseas tour after being appointed as prime minister in November last year. Officials said a range of key bilateral issues, including trade and investment, as well as defence and security figured in the talks between the two prime ministers.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on the Sri Lankan prime minister. Mahinda Rajapaksa served as the country’s president from 2005-2015, becoming one of the longest-serving leaders in South Asia. He was also prime minister for a brief period in 2018.

After his official engagement in Delhi, Mahinda Rajapaksa will travel to Varanasi, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya and Tirupati. In the morning, the Sri Lankan prime minister was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.