Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Anura Kumara Disanayake hold their hands together aloft on Saturday after former was bestowed with the ‘Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana’ award by Sri Lanka 

• Indian Premier Narendra Modi concludes three-day visit reinforcing his country’s commitment to prosperous and peaceful Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka bestows ‘Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana’ Award to Modi who says it is great honour 
• Two countries sign defence and several other landmark agreements
• Inaugurates Sampur solar power project after multiple years of delay
• AKD says SL ready to welcome Modi back with open arms

Ties between Sri Lanka and India have reached a new high following the successful visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who reinforced his country’s commitment to strengthen relations aided by additional support.

After an eventful three days, Modi flew back in what was a historic visit, being the first global leader to set foot in Sri Lanka following the election of President Anura Kumara Disanayake and the NPP Government, whose members previously castigated the giant neighbour and her overtures to undermine Sri Lanka.

Be that as it may, the President Disanayake Government felt it fit to grant Modi the Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana’ award in recognition of the latter’s friendship and cooperation extended to the people of Sri Lanka.

In receiving the honour, Modi said the award “is a great honour” for him. Modi also emphasised that this is not only an award for him but for the 140 crore Indians. He expressed his gratitude to the President, the Government of Sri Lanka, and the people of Sri Lanka for this recognition.

He highlighted the historic ties and deep friendship between India and Sri Lanka, noting that his visit in 2019 occurred during a very sensitive period. He also mentioned that this visit was his fourth trip to Sri Lanka as Prime Minister.

Modi expressed confidence that Sri Lanka, given the bravery and resilience of its people, will recover and rise again stronger. He stated that he is pleased to see Sri Lanka returning to the path of progress.

His visit underscored the enduring relationship encapsulated by the theme “Friendship of Centuries, Commitment to a Prosperous Future,” further solidifying the bonds between India and Sri Lanka.

It was Modi’s fourth visit to Sri Lanka, which has further enhanced the economic, cultural, and historical relations between the two nations, while also reinforcing their multifaceted partnership. This visit by the Indian Prime Minister reinforces Sri Lanka’s important role in India’s “Neighbourhood First Policy” and “MAHASAGAR” vision concerning diplomatic relations.

This State visit is anticipated to yield significant results on various collaborative initiatives, fostering a path towards mutual growth and development. The citizens of Sri Lanka will soon be able to witness the fruitful outcomes of these partnerships, and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit will mark a significant milestone in the Government’s pursuit of sustainable development focused on the needs of the people.

Accompanying Indian Prime Minister Modi were Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and a delegation of senior officials from the Indian Government.

On Saturday during a special State banquet, President Disanayake Modi’s visit expanded opportunities for greater cooperation and closeness between the people of the two countries across many areas of mutual interest.

‘‘We are known for our hospitality and extend a warm welcome to all visitors. In particular, I recall that our friends from across the Palk Strait are received with the utmost warmth and affection,’’ the President said.

‘‘We hope to see the citizens of your nation visiting this wonderful island continually, where they will meet warm-hearted communities. We consistently say to our friends – we eagerly anticipate your return, ready to welcome you back with open arms,” the President further said.

A key highlight of Modi’s visit was the launch of three development projects – construction of the Sampur Solar Power Plant to add 50 Megawatts to the national grid, the Dambulla Temperature and Humidity Controlled Agro Cold Storage complex, and the Project to Install Solar Panels on 5,000 religious sites.

The Sampur Solar Power Plant is part of the Eastern Renewable Energy Zone, which is being established under Sri Lanka’s Long-Term Generation Expansion Plan (LTGEP). It is being developed by Trincomalee Power Company, a joint venture between India’s NTPC Ltd. and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).

The project is planned in two phases, with the second phase scheduled to commence in 2027. A 500-acre land area has been allocated for this initiative, under the first phase it will contribute 50 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. The project will incorporate state-of-the-art N-type TOPCon solar cell technology, enhancing energy security and promoting a shift from fossil fuel dependency to renewable energy sources. Consequently, the Sampur Solar Power Project is expected to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 2 lakh tonnes.

The Dambulla Agricultural Storage Complex (Cold Storage Facility), with a capacity of 5,000 metric tons and equipped with temperature and humidity control, was inaugurated today with the objective of reducing post-harvest losses by approximately 40%, stabilising fluctuations in agricultural product prices, ensuring the supply of high-quality food to consumers and enhancing agricultural sustainability.

To facilitate research on advanced storage methods for different crops, the facility includes six storage chambers, each designed to simulate various climatic conditions. This is the first facility of its kind in Sri Lanka, built at a total cost of Rs. 524 million, with Rs. 300 million provided as a grant by the Government of India and Rs. 224 million contributed by the Government of Sri Lanka.

The project to install solar panels on 5,000 religious sites spans all 25 districts and includes places of worship representing all major religions. The Government of India has invested $ 17 million in this initiative, which is being implemented jointly by the Ceylon Electricity Board, the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority and Lanka Electricity Company Ltd.

Under this project, 5,000 solar panel systems with a capacity of 5 kW each will be installed on the rooftops of Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Catholic and Christian places of worship. This is expected to add 25 megawatts of solar power capacity to the national electricity grid. The initiative underscores the Government’s commitment to a cost-effective, sustainable and reliable energy system.

Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between India and Sri Lanka, covering several key sectors, were exchanged as well in the presence of President Anura Kumara Disanayake and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Marking a new chapter in Indo-Sri Lanka relations, these agreements focus on enhancing cooperation in the fields of energy, digitalisation, defence, healthcare, and development assistance.

The MoUs were for Implementation of HVDC interconnection for import/export of power; cooperation in the field of sharing successful digital solutions implemented at population scale for digital transformation; MoU between the Government of India, the Government of Sri Lanka, and the Government of United Arab Emirates for Cooperation in Development of Trincomalee as an energy hub; on defence cooperation between India and Sri Lanka; on cooperation in the field of health and medicine; and on pharmaceutical cooperation; on multi-sectoral grant assistance for Eastern Province.

The President and Indian Prime Minister also paid homage to the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and jointly inaugurated the upgraded Maho-Omanthai Railway Line and Maho-Anuradhapura Railway Signalling System.

Reiteration of India’s support to Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring, write off of $ 100 million of Indian financial assistance were among other initiatives. 

During his visit, Modi also met main Opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya Leader Sajith Premadasa, representatives of Tamil parties as well as the 1996 World Cup cricket winning team and members of the Indian community. Reflecting in the State visit, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that a “A very productive State Visit to Sri Lanka concludes. PM @narendramodi emplanes for India.” 

Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi embarks on three-day visit to Sri Lanka