PM Modi holds bilateral talks with Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to India stating that it was "a matter of joy" for the country that he had chosen India for his first visit after assuming PM's office. Mahinda Rajapaksa who assumed office as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka last year in November is on a five-day visit to India to improve bilateral ties between the two countries.

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PM Modi also said that they exchanged views on bilateral and global issues, fighting terrorism and boosting security cooperation. Joint economic projects in Sri Lanka also found a mention in the talks.

"During today’s talks, PresRajapaksa and I were able to exchange views on bilateral and global issues. Matters relating to fighting terrorism and boosting security cooperation featured prominently in our discussions. We also discussed progress on joint economic projects in SL," said the PM's official twitter handle. 

Read: PM Modi wishes newly sworn-in Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa

Last year his brother and newly sworn-in President of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa had also come to visit India, just two weeks after assuming office.

Mahinda Rajapaksa served as the country's president from 2005-2015, becoming one of the longest-serving leaders in South Asia. He was also prime minister for a brief period in 2018. After his official engagement in Delhi, Mahinda Rajapaksa will travel to Varanasi, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya and Tirupati.

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(With Agency Inputs)