Sri Lanka important for India: Indian envoy

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will continue to be a key part of India's neighbourhood first policy, the new Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu said today and expressed hope that Sri Lankan businesses will take advantage of the proximity between the two nations.

"Sri Lanka continues to be a key part of India's 'neighbourhood first' policy," Sandhu said while addressing the Republic Day celebrations here.

He also expressed hope that Sri Lankan businesses will take advantage of their proximity to the fastest growing major economy in the world.

Sandhu said that India's total development assistance commitment to Sri Lanka is now around $2.6 billion, with over $435 million as outright grants.

The High Commissioner credited strong democratic institutions built over the last six and a half decades for making India an oasis of stability.

As part of the celebrations, officials of the High Commission paid their respects to the memory of fallen soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in a solemn ceremony at the IPKF memorial located near parliament here.

He said India today stands as the fastest growing economy amongst the major economies of the world.

India is the second largest reservoir of scientific and technical manpower, the third largest army, the sixth member of the nuclear club, the sixth member in the race for space, and the tenth largest industrial power.

From a net food grains importing country, India is now a leading exporter of food commodities.

Sandhu also congratulated the Sri Lankan government led by Maithripala Sirisena on completion of two years in office.