Today in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Sri Lanka’s Sirisena to dicuss fishermen issue. Sri Lanka’s new President Maithripala Sirisena who is in India for a four-day visit to India, meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House seeking a new beginning in bilateral ties that took a hit during the rule of his predecessor.
The Sri Lankan president and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their talks are likely to deliberate on all major issues such as devolution of power to the Tamil community and the sticky fishermen issue.
63-year-old Sirisena, who had dethroned Mahinda Rajapaksa from his 10-year rule after a bitter Presidential poll on January 9, will hold talks with the Indian leadership today on the entire gamut of bilateral ties including ways to further enhance cooperation and the peace and reconciliation process in the island nation.
According to presidential advisors, the Lankan president is desirous of making a new beginning in the Indo-Lanka relations after bilateral ties suffered under Rajapaksa over India’s backing to US-moved resolutions at the UN rights body over alleged war crimes. The Rajapaksa regime was also said to have a pro-China tilt.
“We will be making a new beginning with India,’ acting government spokesman and Minister Lakshman Kiriella said in Colombo. Sirisena has already indicated that he wants to have a closer relationship with India and chose it for his first foreign visit.
