Wednesday, 14 January 2015 00:00
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By Dharisha Bastians
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera will visit India on 18 January, becoming the first member of the new administration that was swept to power last Thursday to visit Sri Lanka’s most important neighbour.
Indian External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Syed Akbaruddin tweeted yesterday that Minister Samaraweera had accepted his Indian Counterpart Sushma Swaraj’s invitation.
“First visit..in response to Minister @SushmaSwaraj’s invitation, Sri Lanka’s Extrl Affairs Minister @MangalaSto visit India on 18 January,” Akbaruddin said on his official Twitter account. Minister Samaraweera’s aides also confirmed that he would visit India on 18 January.
Indian Minister Swaraj called the Minister after his appointment as Foreign Minister on Monday to offer her congratulations and invite him to New Delhi.
Accordingly Samaraweera will be the first high official from the new Maithripala Sirisena administration to visit India.
Presidential aides said the new President would also make India his first foreign destination after assuming office.
