Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar arrived in Sri Lanka today for an official visit. He was welcomed at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake by Sri Lanka’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya and the Governor of the Eastern Province, Senthil Thondaman.

Following his arrival, Jaishankar took to 'X' (formerly Twitter) to express his anticipation for the visit, stating, "Look forward to my meetings with the leadership. Sri Lanka is central to our Neighborhood First and SAGAR policies."

During his visit, Jaishankar is scheduled to engage in discussions with Sri Lankan leadership on various issues pertaining to the bilateral partnership. This marks his first bilateral visit since the formation of the new Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo emphasized that the visit reaffirms India's Neighbourhood First Policy and underscores India's continued commitment to Sri Lanka as its closest maritime neighbour and long-standing friend. The visit is expected to boost momentum for connectivity projects and other mutually beneficial collaborations across various sectors.

In a recent meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe in India, Dr. Jaishankar discussed the swift resumption of halted development projects in Sri Lanka that are backed by Indian investments. He also conveyed his intention to visit Sri Lanka to monitor the progress of these initiatives.

Dr. Jaishankar assured that his visit aims to coordinate Indian Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visit and expedite the initiation of development projects funded by Indian investments. Additionally, he highlighted plans for establishing an industrial zone in Trincomalee, which is expected to attract numerous Indian and international investors.