PM Modi holds talks with Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe

PTI

New Delhi, July 21

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held wide-ranging talks with visiting Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe largely focusing on boosting overall economic and strategic cooperation.

Wickremesinghe arrived in Delhi on Thursday on a two-day visit which is the first tour of India by a senior Sri Lankan leader since the island nation was hit by an unprecedented economic crisis last year.

India extended financial assistance worth around USD 4 billion to Sri Lanka, including lines of credit for purchases of food and fuel last year when it was hit by the economic crisis.

New Delhi also provided guarantees to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help the country secure a USD 2.9 billion bailout package.

"An opportunity to review and lend further momentum to the long-standing India-Sri Lanka ties as the two countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations this year," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Twitter as the two leaders began talks.

Ahead of the high-level talks between the two top leaders, NSA Ajit Doval called on Wickremesinghe and is understood to have discussed security cooperation between the two countries.

On Thursday evening, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on the visiting leader and discussed various bilateral issues. 

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