The External Affairs Minister of India Dr.
S.
Jaishankar arrived in Sri Lanka, a short while ago, on a two-day official visit.The Indian foreign minister is undertaking a visit to Sri Lanka for bilateral meetings and BIMSTEC engagements from 28-30 March.He is visiting Sri Lanka on the invitation of his counterpart Prof.
G.
L.
Peiris.Dr.
Jaishankars visit to Sri Lanka follows the visits to India by Minister of Finance of Sri Lanka, Mr.
Basil Rajapaksa in December 2021 and earlier this month and that of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Prof.
G.L.
Peiris in February 2022.The bilateral meetings and interactions which the External Affairs Minister will have in Sri Lanka highlight the priority that the Sri Lanka occupies for India, a statement from the ministry said.Dr.
Jaishankar will participate in the Ministerial Meeting of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in Colombo on Tuesday.He will hold bilateral talks with Sri Lankas top leadership.Dr.
Jaishankar arrived in Colombo after concluding his official visit to the Maldives, during which he called on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and held discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid.The ministry said Maldives and Sri Lanka are Indias key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and occupy a special place in Prime Ministers vision of SAGAR and Neighbourhood First.EAMs visit is testimony to the importance that India attaches to its close and friendly relations with the Maldives and Sri Lanka, it said..
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