Grateful for President Dissanayake’s sensitivity towards Indian interests: PM Modi

India, Sri Lanka ink seven MoUs during PM’s visit, including on defence cooperation, energy, digitisation, health; interest rates on Sri Lankan loans cut, $100 million loans converted into grants

India and Sri Lanka inked seven MoUs — including one on defence cooperation — during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the island nation on Saturday (April 5, 2025), even as Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ensuring that Sri Lankan territory is not used to undermine India’s security or regional stability.

“We believe that we have shared security interests. The security of both countries is interconnected and co-dependent. I am grateful to President Dissanayake for his sensitivity towards India’s interests,” Mr. Modi said in his address following the signing of the MoUs at the Presidential Secretariat.

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Wide spectrum cooperation

The MoUs signed were on the topics of energy sector cooperation — including energy grid connection and developing Trincomalee as an energy hub in partnership with the United Arab Emirates — digitisation efforts, health, and multi-sectoral assistance to Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, taking off on discussions held during President Dissanayake’s visit to New Delhi in December 2024. Briefing the media later, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described the defence sector MoU as an “umbrella agreement” that provided a framework to pursue ongoing defence sector cooperation in a more “structured” manner.

During the ceremony, the leaders virtually launched a cold storage plant in the central Dambulla district, and a solar power plant in the eastern Trincomalee district.  

Further, India has decided to reduce the interest rates on loans extended to Sri Lanka to support the country’s external debt treatment, Mr. Modi said, adding that loans totalling over $100 million have been converted to grants.  

Regional power, global leader

“We have witnessed India’s remarkable rise and success. We sincerely applaud the way India has positioned itself not only as a regional power, but also as a global leader,” Mr. Dissanayake said. He later thanked India for its “unwavering commitment and support” to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and through its debt restructuring process.

Mr. Dissanayake conferred the ‘Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana’ title on Mr. Modi, saying that it was “a symbol of the enduring friendship and unwavering, multifaceted support that he has consistently extended to Sri Lanka and its people.” Sri Lanka, like India, “firmly believes” in the potential of South Asia to rise and shine on the world stage and the two countries must strive to achieve that goal together, the leftist Sri Lankan leader observed.

Temple renovation

In his statement, Mr. Modi announced that relics of the Buddha, found in 1960 in the Aravali region in Gujarat, would be sent to Sri Lanka for an exposition during the Vesak festivities — commemorating the birth, enlightenment and the death of the Buddha — in May this year. India would also support the renovation of the Thirukoneswaram temple in Trincomalee and the construction of the sacred city in the Anuradhapura Mahabodhi temple complex, and the Sita Eliya temple in Nuwara Eliya, he said.

Earlier on Saturday, the Prime Minister received the guard of honour at Colombo’s Independence Square and a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Secretariat, where he held bilateral discussions with Mr. Dissanayake. Delegation level talks were also led by the two leaders. The Indian delegation included External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Mr. Misri.

PM Modi will travel to Anuradhapura in the Northern Central Province on Sunday, and proceed to Rameswaram following his engagements there.

Published - April 05, 2025 04:49 pm IST