New Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to arrive on India visit, to meet Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: The newly-elected Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrives in India on Thursday, on his maiden overseas visit that will see the two close neighbours seek to strengthen ties.

The two-day official visit, on the invite of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will see the two leaders discuss regional security, peace and economic development.

President Gotabaya is scheduled to meet his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Modi during his visit.

Secretary to the Sri Lankan President P.B. Jayasundara, Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha, Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle, President's advisor Lalith Weerathunge and President's private secretary Sugeeshwara Bandara will accompany the President during the visit.

India had sent External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Colombo soon after the election of Gotabaya as president, during which he met the new Lankan President and extended him an invite to visit India, which he accepted.

Modi, in his congratulatory message, had reiterated India's commitment to continue to work with the government of Sri Lanka to strengthen ties.

The Sri Lankan President who arrives on Thursday evening will be called on by External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on Friday morning at the ITC Maurya.

After a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Gotabaya and Modi will hold talks at noon. In the evening he will call on President Kovind. On Saturday the Sri Lankan President will attend events in Delhi and leave in the evening.

Gotabaya's India visit comes as High Commissioner of India Taranjit Singh Sandhu termed the recently concluded presidential election in Sri Lanka as "a festival of democracy".

Delivering the Lalith Athulathmudali Commemoration Freedom Speech in Colombo, Sandhu said the high-level exchanges underlined the special nature of India-Sri Lanka ties.

He highlighted the strong cooperation between India and Sri Lanka in the field of defence and security, and development partnership. He emphasised that India could offer more in these fields depending on Sri Lanka's own requirements.

The High Commissioner noted that India and Sri Lanka have a lot to offer to each other, and to the world.

Gotabaya, who is perceived as pro-China, has in a statement said his government will maintain "equi-distant and cordial relations with all countries".

"As a policy, we will maintain an equi-distant and yet, cordial relations with all countries and remain neutral in the power struggles amongst nations. I also appeal to all global leaders, to respect the sovereignty and unitary status of Sri Lanka," he said.