NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent a congratulatory letter to Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe after the latter got elected as the 8th President of the island nation. “You have assumed the high office at a crucial time for Sri Lanka. I hope your tenure will nurture economic stabilisation as well as fulfil the aspirations of all citizens of Sri Lanka,” the PM said in his letter.
“As a close friend and neighbour of Sri Lanka, India will continue to be supportive of the quest of the people of Sri Lanka for stability and economic recovery, through established democratic means, institutions and constitutional framework,” Modi said he would look forward to working closely with Ranil for the mutual benefit and further strengthening the friendly relations between the two nations.
Meanwhile, India’s high commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay on Tuesday handed over humanitarian aid worth more than Sri Lankan ₹3.4 billion ($9.4 million), donated by the Tamil Nadu government and met PM Dinesh Gunawardena as part of India’s outreach to the new leadership in Colombo.
During his meeting with Gunawardena, Baglay conveyed the greetings from the leadership, government and people of India and thanked the premier for his guidance in various capacities to strengthen long-standing and close bilateral relations in all areas of engagement. Baglay also thanked Gunawardena for his appreciation for India’s “unprecedented support to the people of Sri Lanka”, the Indian high commission tweeted.