India has displayed its generosity to new Sri Lanka administration by extending US $400 million credit line during President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s maiden official visit to New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a $400 million line of credit to Sri Lanka to help the nation in strengthening its economy.
PM Modi made the announcement while delivering a joint statement with visiting Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The newly-appointed Sri Lankan President is on a three-day visit to India from November 28-30, 2019.
This is his first international trip after he took over the top post in Sri Lanka.
During his visit, Gotabaya Rajapaksa met with the Indian President Ram Nath Kovind during a ceremonial reception at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the mandate given to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the expression of the ambitions of the people of Sri Lanka for a strong country.
A strong Sri Lanka is not only in the interest of India but that of the entire Indian Ocean region, he said.
The Indian Prime Minister announced a financial assistance of $50 million to Sri Lanka to deal with the challenge of terrorism after holding “fruitful” talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Meanwhile Indian Rajya Sabha MP and MDMK Chief Vaiko and his supporters were detained by the Delhi police on Thursday (28) near Jantar Mantar, during protests against the visit of Sri Lankan President.
Over 500 protesters gathered in the capital to demand that any permission given to the Sri Lankan President to visit India be revoked. Protesters who were holding placards and raising slogans condemned External Affairs Minister Jayashankar’s attendance at Gotabaya’s swearing-in ceremony.
At the protest, Vaiko reportedly alleged, “Indian government is inviting the murderer who killed thousands of Tamils during the final Eelam war which happened in Sri Lanka and he is a war criminal who unleashed the Sri Lankan army against the Tamils when he was the Defence Secretary Indian media reported.
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