Highest Honour, 7 MoUs including First Defence Deal: Highlights of PM Modi Sri Lanka visit

Following his arrival in the island nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a ceremonial guard of honour in Sri Lanka. During the visit which is still underway, both the nations have inked seven Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) including the first defence deal. The other pacts are in the field of energy, digital infrastructure, health and trade sectors. 

In one of the major highlights of this visit, Sri Lankan President bestowed the country’s highest civilian award on PM Modi.

Conferring the award on PM Modi, Lankan President Dissanayake said, “…I am pleased to announce that the Government of Sri Lanka has decided to confer upon him (PM Narendra Modi) the highest Sri Lanka honour- Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana…Prime Minister Modi highly deserves this honour; that is what we firmly believe.”

India Sri Lanka sign 7 MoUs, other key pointers

Both the nations signed 7 Memorandum of Undertakings. The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has signed a deal with the Digital Economy Ministry for digital transformation. India has also signed a key defence pact marking a new chapter in India’s defence ties with its neighbour. This comes after the Indian Peacekeeping Mission was forced to withdraw over three decades ago. With this agreement, both the nations hope to move strategically closer in terms of joint maritime surveillance, military exercises, and equipment support.

PM Modi also inked the joint venture between India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board. This joint venture is for a 120-megawatt solar power plant in Trincomalee to address the island nation’s growing energy needs. 

Through his visit, the Indian Prime Minister advanced India’s initiative to assist Sri Lanka in rebuilding following the 2022 economic crisis in the island nation. India had provided Sri Lanka $4 Million to bail Lanka out of the crisis. New Delhi has also expressed its willingness to continue helping the Lankan side with debt restructuring and lowering the interest rates on loans.

Alongside President Dissanayake, PM Modi lauded the “resilience” of Sri Lankan people saying, “I am proud that Sri Lanka is on the path back to recovery…We have always stood by Sri Lanka – be it during Covid, or the terror attacks or the recent economic crisis.”

PM Modi and Sri Lankan President Dissanayake also virtually inaugurated the Sampur Solar Power Project. 

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Further in the evening, PM Modi will visit the Taj Samudra Hotel. His visit comes in line with the invitation of Sri Lankan dignitaries. The Indian Prime Minister is also scheduled to visit the Indian Peace Keeping Force memorial in the afternoon to lay a wreath.

At around 7.30 pm, Lankan President Dissanayake will host a banquet in honour of PM Modi.

Incidentally, PM Modi Sri Lanka visit is coming at a time when the Tamil Nadu assembly has passed a resolution to retrieve Katchatheevu island from Sri Lanka. This is an emotive issue for fishermen in the state due to the long-standing dispute over fishing rights around the 285-acre island. Moreover, the development comes amid concerns over the expansionist maneuvering of the Chinese community regime across the Indian Ocean region.

During his visit in December, Sri Lankan leftist President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, thanked India for its “positive and impactful role” in providing development assistance to the island nation amid its crippling debt crisis. He was referring to India’s assistance in securing a much-required $2.9 billion IMF bailout during the 2022 economic crisis.

Respecting Indian concerns, Lankan President Dissanayake has given assurances that it will not “permit its territory to be used in any manner inimical to the security of India… as well as towards regional stability”. The assurance is being seen as a welcome step by Delhi last year.