Sri Lankan President Anura Dissanayake to visit India from December 15-17

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. File
| Photo Credit: AP

“Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will undertake a two-day visit to India from December 15, in his first overseas visit after assuming office,” it was announced on Tuesday (December 10, 2024).

During his visit, Mr. Dissanayake will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu, Cabinet spokesperson Nalinda Jayathissa told reporters in Colombo.

“He will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Deputy Minister of Finance Anil Jayantha Fernando,” said Jayathissa, also the Minister of Health. The December 15-17 visit is Mr. Dissanayake’s first overseas visit since being elected the island nation’s President in September.

The invitation to visit New Delhi was extended by the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who visited Colombo less than a fortnight after Mr. Dissanayake’s victory.

Mr. Jaishankar was the first foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka since the National People’s Power (NPP) government led by Mr. Dissanayake came to power on September 23. Mr. Dissanayake’s visit was on hold until the completion of the Parliamentary election in November when his NPP recorded a historic win, gaining absolute control of the 225-member Parliament.