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

Going as per global trend of virtual meeting amid 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 vel and invative manner of presenting credentials. It shows use of techlogy to overcome challenges. I am currently observing stipulated health protocol after my arrival at India House, so I could t have gone across physically to President's Office," Baglay said. He furr said that use of techlogy to overcome challenges like this pandemic is in line with vision of leership of India and of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use techlogy for development and to dress such challenges.

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Multi-faceted ties between neighbours

High Commissioner assured that he would work 'assiduously' to take relations between neighbours India and Sri Lanka to even greater heights. He thanked President Rajapaksa for arranging ceremony through video conferencing and "pointed out that today's vel initiative underscores significance two countries attach to ir tritionally 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 course of meeting, Gopal Bagla ted that India has sent four consignments of essential life-saving medicines and medical material weighing over 25 tonnes to Sri Lanka in last few weeks as goodwill support from India during Coronavirus pandemic. High Commissioner h himself flown to Colombo on May 8, in a military transport aircraft that ferried 12.5 tonnes of essential medicines and or items as a special friendly gesture from Indian government to Sri Lanka.

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

(With ANI inputs) (Photo: ANI)

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