COLOMBO: India and Sri Lanka have signed their first defence agreement, marking a new chapter in bilateral relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake were part of this.
India's decisive step comes as China seeks to dominate the Indian Ocean region. An agreement was signed to transform the strategic Trincomalee into an energy hub. The UAE is also a partner in the agreement.
Modi arrived in Sri Lanka on Friday night for a three-day visit. A total of seven agreements were signed to strengthen bilateral ties. These include aid and cooperation in the health and railway sectors.
Modi and Dissanayake virtually laid the foundation stone of a solar power project being implemented with India's assistance in Samburu, Trincomalee.
Modi said that the security interests of both countries are the same and thanked Dissanayake for his sensitivities towards India's interests.
Modi receives highest honour
Dissanayake has conferred the 'Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana' award on Modi. This is the highest civilian honour bestowed by Sri Lanka on foreign leaders. The award is in recognition of Modi's efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and promote cultural and spiritual heritage.
Modi said the award is a symbol of the deep friendship and historical ties between India and Sri Lanka. He also said that the honour is a tribute to the 140 crore people of India. Modi is the first Indian leader to receive the award.
No one will be allowed to use Sri Lanka's territory for any move that threatens India's security and regional stability
- Anura Kumara Dissanayake,
Sri Lankan President
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