NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Saturday agreed to maintain regular contact between relevant officials, including in the context of the continuing COVID-19 challenges.
In a telephonic conversation, the key leaders of their countries also reviewed topical developments and the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in bilateral and multilateral forums. Prime Minister reiterated the importance of Sri Lanka to India's Neighbourhood First policy.
The conversation between Modi and Rajapaksa happened days after Sri Lanka received 10 state-of-the-art railway passenger coaches from India as part of the supply of 160 coaches to Sri Lankan Railways by the Rail India Technical and Economic Service.
Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay earlier this week also visited the Ram Setu in the island nation and offered his prayers on the occasion of Mahashivratri. The official prayed for reinforcement of strong bonds between the people of India and Lanka, recalling their millennia-old links and the role of historical structures in creating these links.