PM Modi’s Sri Lanka Visit: Key Defence, Energy, and Digital Pacts Expected

New Delhi: In a significant step towards strengthening defence cooperation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6. During the visit, India and Sri Lanka are expected to sign a landmark defence agreement, along with pacts in energy, healthcare, and digital sectors.

This will be the first-ever defence agreement between the two nations. Talks on this matter have been ongoing since Sri Lankan President Aruna Kumar Dissanayake’s visit to India in December last year. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri expressed optimism that the agreement would be finalized during PM Modi’s visit. The pact is expected to include naval cooperation and training for Sri Lankan military personnel by the Indian Army.

PM Modi’s visit comes at a time when Sri Lanka’s economy is gradually stabilizing, presenting an opportunity for both countries to explore new avenues of collaboration. The visit also aligns with efforts by the newly formed Sri Lankan government to implement crucial economic reforms.

The focus of the discussions will be on boosting investment and enhancing connectivity, covering physical, digital, and energy linkages. A joint statement issued during President Dissanayake’s visit last year had emphasized the need to make both economies mutually beneficial.

PM Modi is scheduled to arrive in Colombo on the evening of April 4. The next day, he will hold official talks with President Dissanayake, following which they will inaugurate several projects developed with India’s assistance. On April 5, multiple agreements related to energy connectivity, digitization, and healthcare are expected to be signed. The two leaders will also virtually launch the Sampur Solar Power Project, a key renewable energy initiative.

The visit is expected to further strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties and open new avenues for bilateral cooperation in strategic and economic domains.