President Ranil Wickremesinghe and other leaders, pose for a photo with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who began his third consecutive term. 
Pic by Pradeep Pathirana 

• Mr. Modi’s new government will be a coalition comprising 11 allies   

By Yohan Perera in New Delhi   

President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and personally expressed well wishes for the latter’s recent electoral success. Mr. Wickremesinghe met Mr. Modi at Rashtrapati Bhavan as soon as the latter was sworn in for his third consecutive term last evening.   

The Sri Lankan President was among the other heads of state whom Mr. Modi met briefly after the swearing-in ceremony.    

Mr. Wickremesinghe also participated in a banquet hosted by Indian President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he had informal discussions with the other heads of state who were present.   

Top leaders from India’s neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean Region, including Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Vice President of Seychelles Ahmed Afif were among those who attended the ceremony. Mr. Muizzu’s visit was highlighted as a significant event by the Indian media, as it occurred against the backdrop of strained ties between India and the Maldives in the recent past. Mr. Modi’s foreign policy is believed to be one of the focus areas among the intellectuals and media fraternity in India.   

Mr. Modi’s new government will be a coalition which will comprise 11 allies. The cabinet comprises 30 members including BJP President K. Annamalai. “I will be sworn in as a cabinet minister and that shows Modi’s love for people in Tamil Nadu’” he told local media.