Thursday Oct 24, 2024
FT
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
Thursday, 24 October 2024 00:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Presenting traditional hand-painted Indian art to Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath (centre) by SLIS President Kishore Reddy (left) and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha
SLIS President Kishore Reddy
Indian High Commissioner to
Sri Lanka Santosh Jha
Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath
Minister Vijitha Herath and High Commissioner Santosh Jha joined by Sri Lanka India Society President Kishore Reddy and the EXCO
Sri Lanka India Society (SLIS) President Kishore Reddy, and the executive committee of the society organised a commemorative dinner to celebrate the 78th Independence Day of India with Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath (and the Minister for Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs , National Integration, Social Security and Mass Media, Environment, Wildlife, Forest Resources, Water Supply, Plantation and Community, and Infrastructure, Public Security, Rural and Urban Development, and Housing and Construction, Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation) as the Chief Guest and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha, as the Guest of Honour.
The event also saw the presence of diplomats, society members, officials, and numerous other dignitaries, all gathered to celebrate an evening of camaraderie at Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo.
Speaking at the event, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath highlighted the millennia-old ties between India and Sri Lanka, adding that Buddhism was the greatest gift from India. He thanked India for the tremendous support extended during the economic crises and subsequent debt restructuring efforts, including with the IMF. Underlining that India remains Sri Lanka’s largest source of investment and tourist inflows as well as largest trade partner, he expressed his confidence in the immense potential of a deeper economic partnership between the two countries. Vijitha Herath said: “India and Sri Lanka have immense potential to develop beyond just traditional economic interactions. Sri Lanka values this partnership.” He also said though over 300,000 tourists from India are the highest number of visitors from a single country last year there is a huge growth segment in this sector considering the population of India is over 1.4 billion.
SLIS President Kishore Reddy emphasised the profound cultural and interpersonal bonds between India and Sri Lanka, which form the cornerstone of their relationship. He underscored the importance of sharing knowledge and fostering diversity for mutual prosperity. Reddy, while speaking about the relationship between the nations, said: “Trade and investment have grown, and there is cooperation in the fields of development, education, culture, and defence. Both countries share a broad understanding of major issues of international interest.”
Kishore Reddy on behalf of the society congratulated the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in winning the peoples mandate and becoming the ninth Executive President of Sri Lanka. He also said “People of Sri Lanka have made everyone proud in having a very peaceful election and more over for a very smooth transition and every Sri Lankan here should be proud of this achievement.” Kishore Reddy highlighted on the Presidents vision and commitment to build a strong Sri Lanka and said: “Tonight, I would like to focus on a phrase that resonates deeply with all of us – most of us present here have repeatedly heard the phrase from President Dissanayake “ API RATA HADAMU” Which Means “Let’s build our nation.”
He said “The President and the Government of Sri Lanka is sending strong message which emphasises unity, responsibility, and national pride, while highlighting the meaning behind “Api Rata Hadamu.” This simple yet profound phrase carries a sense of responsibility, unity, and collective ambition. It is a reminder that the task of nation-building does not lie with a select few, but with every one of us, together. Both India and Sri Lanka can work closely for the benefit of the people and the entire region. I would like to highlight here the Togetherness – the Sinhala Word for this is “Ekatu wela” and adding this to the President Dissanayake’s quote and resonating the phrase, the President of the Society Kishore Reddy Said “ Api Ekatuwela Rata Hadamu” – “Together Lets Build the Nation”.
Reddy ended with a toast, saying: “We wish Sri Lanka and India happiness, peace, and prosperity today and in the future, and to the enduring friendship and partnership between both countries.”
In his Keynote Address, High Commissioner Santosh Jha elaborated on the foundational principles, diverse elements, and evolving direction of India-Sri Lanka relations. High Commissioner emphasised optimism for the future of the India-Sri Lanka partnership. Elaborating on the deeply interlinked destiny of the two neighbours, he said: “Cooperation is mandated by the realities of our existence.” Given that Sri Lanka is in the process of economic recovery, High Commissioner Jha highlighted India’s development cooperation with Sri Lanka will be focused on grants and Investments and said: “We come into an era of supporting Sri Lanka through an investment driven model rather than burdening the nation with Debt driven ones to avoid adding burden to the exchequer.” The same was validated during the recent visit of External Affairs Minister of India, Dr. S Jaishankar (EAM). EAM had during the visit announced India’s offer to modernise the Kankesanthurai port through a grant to the tune of $ 61.5 million. He also conveyed that payments for seven completed Line of Credit projects to the tune of $ 20 million could be converted into grant. High Commissioner underlined that India will continue to be a trusted and reliable partner for Sri Lanka. The High Commissioner expressed optimism about the current state of India-Sri Lanka relations and anticipated even greater cooperation in the future.
