‘India has always been the first responder’: Sri Lanka’s Premadasa hails ties as Rajnath Singh visits Colombo

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo, with the two countries pledging to deepen cooperation on regional security, as Sri Lanka's Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa separately called for stronger economic ties with India and said he wanted the country to become the island nation's largest export destination.

The meeting came during Singh's three-day visit to Sri Lanka, the first by an Indian defence minister to the country in 38 years. The two sides discussed bilateral ties and cooperation between the maritime neighbours on regional security, peace and development.

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“We reaffirmed that as civilisational twins, close neighbours and maritime partners India and Sri Lanka, would continue to work together for the development of our countries and welfare of our people as well as work jointly to ensure the safety, security, peace and prosperity of our region,” Singh said.

“Had a warm and extremely productive meeting with Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka in Colombo, today," Singh posted on X.

"I conveyed to him greetings on behalf of PM Narendra Modi and extended felicitations on successful completion of two years of his government,” he added.

Singh also met Premadasa, who described India as a "very close partner" and praised New Delhi's support during Sri Lanka's economic crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic and Cyclone Ditwah.

"My meeting with Rajnath Singh was very constructive, very progressive. We have a very strong relationship with India. It is a special relationship. We are very close partners," Premadasa said.

"India has always been the first responder. And Prime Minister Modi has always walked the talk. India has been the first responder in supporting Sri Lanka during Ditwah, during times of bankruptcy, and during the Corona health hazard," he added.

Also Read: Rajnath Singh arrives in Sri Lanka after 38 years, to deepen maritime, defence ties

On economic ties, Premadasa said Sri Lanka wanted to expand trade with India and backed balanced free trade based on mutual interests.

"We would love to have India as our largest export destination. We promote balanced free trade. We promote trade that is of mutual interest. So we will continue on that path," he said.

Premadasa said bilateral cooperation had expanded across development assistance, trade, business, government-to-government engagement and people-to-people ties.

"In recent times, the cooperation between our two countries in all spheres, in development aid, economic, commercial, business, people-to-people, government-to-government, non-governmental to government, in all its facets, we have had a very special relationship, a productive relationship that has fulfilled our mutual interests," he said.

He added that deeper ties should continue while respecting the sovereignty and political independence of both countries.

"We hope to ensure that our relationship grows in a manner that protects each of our countries' sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence, and also to ensure that we enjoy the fruits of growth," Premadasa said.

Singh had on Tuesday reiterated India's commitment to supporting Sri Lanka during periods of crisis, pointing to the two countries' shared historical, cultural and religious links.

"India will always stand firmly with Sri Lanka whenever the island nation faces a crisis," Singh said during an interaction with the Indian diaspora.

Singh is leading a high-level delegation comprising senior officials from the ministries of defence and external affairs.