Sri Lankan President Dissanayake reaches Delhi, his first foreign trip after coming to power, pacts readied

“This will be the first visit of President Dissanayake to India after the recently concluded presidential and parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said.

During the visit, President Dissanayake will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold discussions with Prime Minister Modi on “bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest”, Jaiswal said.

Dissanayake will be participating in a business event in New Delhi and will also visit Bodh Gaya.

“The visit of President Dissanayake to India shall further strengthen the multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries,” the MEA spokesperson said.

The fact that his first overseas visit after assuming office is to India signals the importance that the new Sri Lankan President, who defeated the traditional political parties ruled by the political elite, attaches to bilateral ties.

Dissanayake will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Deputy Minister of Finance Anil Jayantha Fernando.

The visit by AKD — as he is popularly called — is expected to provide an opportunity to review ties between the two countries and look at the future prospects under the new leadership in Colombo. This will be an opportunity for India to hear about Dissanayake’s plans, first hand, on Indian investments, views on regional security and his approach towards Tamil minority rights in the country among other issues.

The invitation to visit New Delhi was extended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who visited Colombo less than a fortnight after Dissanayake’s victory.

Jaishankar was the first foreign minister to visit Sri Lanka since the National People’s Power (NPP) government led by Dissanayake came to power on September 23.

The President’s visit was on hold until the completion of the parliamentary election in November when his NPP recorded a historic win, gaining absolute control of the 225-member Parliament.

When Jaishankar met him in Colombo on October 4, Dissanayake had told him that “Sri Lankan territory would never (be) allowed to be used in a manner inimical to India’s security interests”, an oblique reference to China’s presence in the island nation.

Dissanayake has said India’s economic support is critical to realise his vision of a prosperous Sri Lanka and meeting the aspirations of the people.

India had been supportive of Sri Lanka’s economic stability and recovery from the very start, and was the first country to give financing assurances which enabled the IMF to finalise the Extended Fund Facility. India had given USD 4 billion financial and humanitarian support during the economic crisis in 2022.

Dissanayake has not supported the implementation of the 13th Amendment, which gives powers to Tamil minorities, a long-standing demand of the Indian government.

He has also opposed any investigation into the alleged war crimes during the civil war between LTTE and Sri Lankan forces. Sources in New Delhi said that the two sides are expected to exchange notes on the devolution of powers to the Tamil minorities, and the way to do so.