Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to visit India in February

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is all set to visit India early next month to meet with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi. According to media reports, the dates, delegation, and meetings are yet to be finalised for the visit. Rajapaksa's visit to New Delhi will also mark his first official foreign visit after taking over as Sri Lanka's Prime Minister. Mahinda Rajapaksa's visit will come two months after his younger brother and President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited New Delhi on November 28, 2019. 

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Mahinda's first official foreign visit

Mahinda Rajapaksa was appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka by his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa following his decisive win in Sri Lanka's presidential election in November last year. Last week, Sri Lanka's Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena visited New Delhi to meet with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar had travelled to Colombo in November as a special envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convey his greetings to Gotabaya Rajapaksa. 

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During Gotabaya Rajapaksa's visit in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $450 million line of credit to Sri Lanka, including $50 million to fight terrorism. PM Modi in his address said, "I have assured the President of India's commitment to a development partnership with Sri Lanka. As always, this cooperation will be in accordance with the priorities of the people of Sri Lanka. A new $400 million line of credit will give a boost to infrastructure and development in Sri Lanka. I am confident that the Sri Lankan economy will benefit as well as this Line of Credit will also accelerate the Project Cooperation of mutual benefit between the two countries."

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Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has previously served as President of Sri Lanka for two terms since 2005. Mahinda Rajapaksa had previously assured New Delhi that he would implement the 13th amendment, which is intended in the greater transfer of power to Provinces, including those inhabited by Indian-origin Tamils living in the island nation.

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