Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman leaves for Sri Lanka on a three-day visit

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is going on a three-day state visit to Sri Lanka from today. Important talks and diplomatic discussions will take place during this visit. During this visit, Smt. Sitharaman will address the ‘Name Two Hundred’ conference organized by the Government of Sri Lanka to mark 200 years of the arrival of Tamils of Indian origin in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardene will also attend the ceremony.

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Smt. Sitharaman will also address the ‘India-Sri Lanka Business Summit’ in Colombo on the theme ‘Expanding Connectivity: Partnership for Prosperity’. There can be talks on increasing bilateral economic cooperation and trade in this conference. The Finance Minister will also hold talks with the leaders of Sri Lanka. In which the strategic importance of diplomatic relations between the two countries will be emphasized.

An MoU for solar electrification of religious places in Sri Lanka will be signed in the presence of the Finance Minister for efficiency in the energy sector. Under this memorandum, India will allocate Rs 82 crore 40 lakh for the project.

During her visit, Smt. Sitharaman will also visit major sites of cultural and religious importance including Sri Dalada Maligawa, Jaya Sri Mahabodhi, Thirukoneshwaram Temple and Kondaswamy Temple. She will also inaugurate branches of State Bank of India in Trincomalee and Jaffna. It is noteworthy that India had provided unprecedented humanitarian assistance of four billion US dollars to Sri Lanka during its economic crisis last year.