15 August 2021 07:13 am Views - 2432
As India celebrates her glorious 75th year of Independence, I extend my heartiest greetings to all fellow Indians in Sri Lanka and all the friendly people of Sri Lanka. Guided by the strong leaderships in our two countries, India and Sri Lanka bilateral relations have progressed steadily, overcoming the challenges of COVID-19 global pandemic. The first ever virtual Bilateral Summit between our Prime Ministers in September 2020, the first visit abroad of External Affairs Minister of India this year to Sri Lanka and the visit of National Security Advisor of India to Sri Lanka in November 2020 have laid down the roadmap of cooperation in all sectors of mutual interest.
2. India’s assistance for human-centric development partnership projects across Sri Lanka has left a meaningful impact on the lives of the common people in this country. While there are many examples from infrastructure to capacity building, the Suwaseriya 1990 Ambulance service – one of the important outcomes of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Sri Lanka in 2017 – has served the people of Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. In the year gone by, India has been as much part of Sri Lanka’s fight against the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it has been a dependable and long-term partner in new initiatives. Whether it is fighting fire on ships such as MT New Diamond and MV Xpress Pearl or launching Sri Lanka’s vaccination programme with COVISHIELD in January this year, India has been the first responder. The US$ 100 million concessional credit for development of solar power projects in Sri Lanka seeks to reinforce Government of Sri Lanka’s emphasis on renewable energy. India is committed to taking similar projects forward in infrastructure, energy, connectivity, health, education and other spheres so as to promote greater economic interaction for shared prosperity of people of the two countries.
4. Through the course of the worst phase of COVID-19 in the two countries, it has been moving to see special prayers in both the countries for the well-being of the other, including at Mulgandhakuti Vihara in Sarnath and Tirumala in Tirupati. India was also the proud partner of Sri Lanka in the first ever aerobatic display of its kind in Sri Lanka by the Indian Air Force on the occasion of 70th of the anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force highlighting the cooperation, the camaraderie and friendship between the two countries and their armed forces.
5. As AatmaNirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) steadily marches ahead with record growth in exports and burgeoning investments while resiliently emerging from the shadow of COVID challenges, I and my colleagues in the High Commission are committed to working towards strengthening the age-old civilisational ties between India and Sri Lanka in the coming months and years, with special focus on health, well-being and economic growth.