Coronavirus pandemic could not dent India's bilateral cooperation with Sri Lanka: Jaishankar

coronavirus pandemic has t dented India's bilateral cooperation with Sri Lanka and New Delhi is looking at post-COVID cooperation with Colombo, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here on Wednesday.

Jaishankar is on a three day visit here from December 5 to 7 following an invitation by his Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena is his first foreign visit of year. This is also first by a foreign dignitary to Sri Lanka in new year.

During a media interaction here after his meeting with Gunawardena, Jaishankar ted that coronavirus pandemic has t been able to dent bilateral ties between India and Sri Lanka.

"In fact high level contacts were maintained and indeed strengned during past year," said Jaishankar, who is on a three-day tour to island nation.

"We are w looking at post-COVID cooperation with Sri Lanka," he said. minister also ted Sri Lanka's interest in accessing vaccines from India.

Assuring that India will be a "dependable and reliable partner" of Lanka, Jaishankar said country is open to strengning its relationship with island nation on basis of "mutual trust, mutual interest, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity".

He also underlined that both neighbours are w facing immediate challenges of post-COVID recovery. "This is t just a public health issue but also a crisis of ecomy," Jaishankar said. 

(Photo Credit: Twitter/DrSJaishankar)