President receives grand welcome in India

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived in India today (15) at around 5:30 p.m via the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

The President was warmly welcomed by India's Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Dr. S. Murugan, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha, Additional Secretary of the Indian Ocean Region Puneet Agrawal, Chief of Protocol Anshuman Gaur and other diplomatic officials.

The Indian media gave significant coverage to the President's arrival. Billboards featuring the images of both President Dissanayake and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were prominently displayed around major roundabouts in New Delhi.

Later tonight, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to hold discussions with India's Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor, Shri Ajit Doval.

Accompanying the President on this visit are Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath and Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando.