PM Modi to visit Sri Lanka; meet political leadership

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to make a brief stopover in Sri Lanka on his way back to India from the Maldives where he is on his first overseas visit after assuming office for a second term.

On his arrival, Modi will be received by his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe.

He will hold talks with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and will also meet Sri Lankan Leader of Opposition and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and members of the Tamil National Alliance.

Later in the day, the Prime Minister will offer prayers at Tirumala temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh before returning to New Delhi.

Newly-elected Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy will accompany him to the holy shrine.

Prime Minister Modi reached the Maldives on a two-day visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago nation and received a ceremonial welcome at the Republic Square in Male on Saturday.

He was conferred with 'Nishan Izzuddeen', the Maldives' highest honour accorded to foreign dignitaries. Modi later addressed the Maldivian Parliament, People's Majlis, where he touched upon various aspects of bilateral ties between the two nations, the need to eliminate terrorism, working together to combat climate change and other issues.

He held a flurry of meetings with several leaders of the island nation and discussed various issues to boost bilateral cooperation.

During the meeting between Modi and Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the two leaders discussed ways to bolster economic and cultural ties.

India and Maldives inked six pacts for strengthening cooperation in various fields including health, defence and establishing a passenger and cargo ferry between the two countries.