India's envoy to Sri Lanka presents credentials to President Rajapaksa via video link

Going as per the global trend of virtual meeting amid the Coronavirus pandemic, India's new High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay, presented his credentials to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a ceremony held through video-conferencing on Thursday.

"This is a novel and innovative manner of presenting credentials. It shows the use of technology to overcome challenges. I am currently observing stipulated health protocol after my arrival at India House, so I could not have gone across physically to the President's Office," Baglay said. He further said that the use of technology to overcome challenges like this pandemic is in line with the vision of the leadership of India and of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use technology for development and to address such challenges.

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Multi-faceted ties between neighbours

The High Commissioner assured that he would work 'assiduously' to take the relations between neighbours India and Sri Lanka to even greater heights. He thanked President Rajapaksa for arranging the ceremony through video conferencing and "pointed out that today's novel initiative underscores the significance the two countries attach to their traditionally friendly and multi-faceted ties, and also highlights India's continued commitment to continue to closely work with Sri Lanka in facing common challenges."

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Envoy comes with supplies

According to an official statement, during the course of the meeting, Gopal Bagla noted that India has sent four consignments of essential life-saving medicines and medical material weighing over 25 tonnes to Sri Lanka in the last few weeks as goodwill support from India during the Coronavirus pandemic. The High Commissioner had himself flown to Colombo on May 8, in a military transport aircraft that ferried 12.5 tonnes of essential medicines and other items as a special friendly gesture from the Indian government to Sri Lanka.

Baglay, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of 1992 batch, had been appointed as India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka in February. He succeeded Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who was appointed as the Ambassador to the United States. He was unable to join his post because of COVID-19 induced lockdown.

(With ANI inputs) (Photo: ANI)

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