Foreign Secy Misri meets Sri Lankan FM Herath, reviews cooperation across key sectors
Colombo, Aug 5 (IANS) Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a meeting with Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath in Colombo on Wednesday, where both sides reviewed ongoing cooperation across priority sectors.
India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, and other officials were present during the meeting.
“Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri called on the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, Hon’ble Vijitha Herath, during his visit to Colombo. Ongoing cooperation in key priority areas was reviewed during the meeting,” the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka posted on X.
Earlier in the day, Misri arrived in Colombo for a one-day visit to Sri Lanka, where he is scheduled to call on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, and others.
“Building on regular high-level exchanges between India and Sri Lanka, this visit will reinforce close bilateral ties and strengthen momentum on key initiatives,” the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka posted on X.
On Tuesday, Santosh Jha handed over 500 litres of Technical Malathion to Sri Lanka’s Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, reaffirming India’s support to the island nation in its ongoing efforts to control the spread of dengue.
“India stands with Sri Lanka in its fight against dengue. Glad to hand over 500 litres of Technical Malathion to Hon. Minister of Health, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, as a gift from the Government and people of India to support ongoing dengue control efforts in Sri Lanka,” Jha posted on X.
On July 27, Jha chaired a review meeting on India-assisted development projects in the island nation along with Sri Lanka’s Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment, Anil Jayantha Fernando. During this, he had announced that India’s assistance for development projects in Sri Lanka has exceeded USD 7.5 billion, with the projects covering all 25 districts.
“With over USD 7.5 billion in assistance, including more than USD 850 million in grants, India’s people-oriented projects span all 25 districts of Sri Lanka – transforming housing, healthcare, education, railways, energy, and livelihoods across Sri Lanka,” the Indian High Commission in Colombo posted on X.
India is Sri Lanka’s closest neighbour, and the relationship between the two countries is more than 2,500 years old, sharing a strong civilisational and historical connect. Sri Lanka has a central place in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision, according to the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka statement.
In 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Sri Lanka. He was the first foreign Head of State or Government to visit Sri Lanka since President Dissanayake assumed office in 2024. During the visit, seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged, covering various sectors, like defence cooperation, health, mass media, energy and connectivity.
–IANS
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