COLOMBO – India and Sri Lanka on Wednesday (11) signed three agreements to foster greater cooperation between the two countries as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo and held “extensive discussions” aimed at enhancing the bilateral ties.

Jaishankar, who is in Colombo  to attend the 23rd Council of Ministers Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), met with President Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat.

“Called on President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe today evening in Colombo. Conveyed the warm greetings of PM @narendramodi. Discussed the progress in taking the India-Sri Lanka relationship forward across the many domains of our cooperation,” Jaishankar said in a post on platform X.

During their meeting, they engaged in “extensive discussions aimed at enhancing the relationship” between India and Sri Lanka, the President’s office said.

Additionally, three new bilateral agreements were signed to foster greater cooperation between the two countries, it added.

Taking to X, Jaishankar said, “Glad to witness the exchange of agreements and inaugurate projects in presence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe this evening at the President Secretariat.” “These projects in social housing, community development and dairy sectors will improve the ease of living of Sri Lankans,” he said.

The minister said India and Sri Lanka also launched a logo celebrating the 75 Years of “our diplomatic relationship today”.

Sharing the picture of the logo on X, he said, it “captures our deep historical, cultural and people to people bonds”.

In a series of posts on X, the High Commission of India in Colombo shared several photographs of the meeting and said it “was a testimony to millennia old ties and the comprehensive nature of development partnership between India and Sri Lanka”.

There were “a series of agreements, virtual inauguration of close to 250 houses and unveiling of a joint logo” during the meeting, it said.

Listing the “key takeaways”, it said, “Tripling of unit cost of a house under Phase-4 of Indian Housing Project, for the construction of 10,000 houses under plantation areas. 1,300 houses are expected to be rolled out soon.” There was an infusion of additional funds in nine ongoing grant projects by up to 50 per cent in each project, the High Commission said.

A Joint Venture Shareholders Agreement was signed among India’s National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), India’s largest FMCG brand Amul and Cargills (Ceylon) PLC, and Sri Lanka’s leading retail and FMCG company listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange “towards strengthening Sri Lanka’s dairy sector in achieving self-sufficiency”.

Listing the ‘virtual inaugurations’, the High Commission said, “126 houses in Badulla, Matale & Matara districts under Phase-3 of Indian Housing Project. Around 3750 /4000 handed over. 48 houses in Matale & Puttalam districts under Model Village Housing Project. 600 houses across the 25 districts of #lka being built. 64 houses in Hambantota and Jaffna districts under Gram Shakthi Projects. 1800 houses are being built in these two Provinces under the Project.” A joint logo to commemorate 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two maritime neighbours was also unveiled, it said.

Jaishankar arrived in Colombo on Monday (10) evening to attend the IORA Council of Ministers meeting – the highest decision-making body of IORA, the largest and pre-eminent organization in the Indian Ocean Region with 23 members and 10 dialogue partners.

At the meeting, India assumed the Vice Chair role of IORA for 2023-25 leading to chairing in 2025-27.

This was his second visit to Sri Lanka in 2023.

Jaishankar last visited Colombo in January during which he held talks with Lanka’s top leadership and discussed the entire gamut of close bilateral partnership and steps to strengthen it in all spheres.

-PTI