Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Sri Lanka on Thursday for a two-day visit. The visit assumes significance as India seeks to further deepen ties with the neighbouring island nation where China has been trying to expand its influence, PTI report says. PM Modi is visiting the country primarily to attend the biggest Buddhist festival ‘Vesak Day’ as its chief guest. His visit schedule includes a visit to Kandy where interaction with a group of Tamil people in the upcountry region, seen as an effort to reach out to the community. It has been learned that PM Modi will dedicate a hospital built with financial assistance of Rs 150 crore by India. It will be his second visit to Sri Lanka since becoming the prime minister.

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11:41 pm: Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa requested for call on with PM Modi and PM agreed,was a cordial meet: Tarajnit Sandhu,Indian High Commissioner.

11:40 pm: We also look forward to enhanced Space cooperation between the two countries: Sanjay Panda, MEA

11:39 pm: No agreements or MoUs were to be signed but PM Narendra Modi did hold discussions with the Sri Lankan Government: Sanjay Panda, MEA

10:52 pm: “It is wonderful to meet this great human being @narendramodi in Colombo again. Thank you for gracing #InternationalVesakDay”, tweets Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.

10:11 pm: After visiting the famous temples in Sri Lanka, PM Narendra Modi has met President Maithripala Sirisena. Here is what he tweeted.

08:37 pm: As per a recent report by PTI, PM Narendra Modi visited Seema Malaka temple in Colombo. Here he was received by the Chief Monk of the temple and other dignitaries. PM Modi took part in the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony.

08:23 pm: Soon after reaching the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, here’s what PM Narendra Modi shared on Twitter.

06:48 pm: PM Narendra Modi visits Gangaramaya Temple along with Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo, reports ANI.

PM Narendra Modi meeting dignitaries and spiritual leaders at Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo. (Picture: ANI)
PM Narendra Modi praying at the Gangaramaya Temple with Srilankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. (Picture: ANI)

06:30 pm: Here is PM Narendra Modi’s tweet soon after reaching Colombo:

05:47 pm: PM Narendra Modi arrives in Sri Lanka, and was received by Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, reported ANI.

05:35 pm: Ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s arrival in the country, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena took to Twitter and said “As Sri Lanka proudly celebrates #InternationalVesakDay, I warmly welcome Indian Premier @narendramodi who will grace the occasion.”

2:35 pm: PM Modi will join International Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo.

2:33 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi departs for Sri Lanka on a 2-day visit.

1:25 pm: PM Modi had travelled to Sri Lanka in March, 2015.

1:17 pm: Check out PM Modi’s tweet

11:15 am: “I will also visit the up country region of Sri Lanka where I will inaugurate the Dickoya Hospital that has been built with Indian assistance, and have an interaction with the Indian-origin Tamil community,” PM Modi said.

11:05 am: He will be meeting with Sirisena, Wickremesinghe and other eminent dignitaries, he said.

11:00 am: PM Modi said his trip will commence in Colombo with a visit to the Seema Malaka at the Gangaramayya temple where he will take part in the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony.

10:50 am: “This time, I will be privileged to pay respect at the revered Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, also known as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic,” PM Modi said.

10:45 am: The Prime Minister recalled that during his last visit in 2015, he had the opportunity to visit Anuradhapura, a UNESCO world heritage site and a leading centre of Buddhism for centuries.

10:35 am: “My visit brings to the fore one of the most abiding links between India and Sri Lanka – the shared heritage of Buddhism,” PM Modi said.

10:30 am: He said it was an honour for him to join these celebrations with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, as per PTI report.

10:20 am: “During my visit, I will join the International Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo on 12th May, where I will interact with leading Buddhist spiritual leaders, scholars and theologians,” PM Modi wrote.

10:10 am: “This will be my second bilateral visit there in two years, a sign of our strong relationship,” PM Narendra Modi said in a Facebook post, hours before travelling to Sri Lanka.

Check PM Modi’s Facebook post

10:05 am: Earlier this year, Sri Lanka had said “things are being finalised” with India to develop the port.

10:00 am: Asked about the vexed fishermen issue, Panda said India was looking at getting into the root of the problem and find a permanent solution to the issue.

9:50 am: He said Tamil Nadu government has already finalised a Rs 1,500 crore package for the fishermen of the state. “We are looking for a permanent solution,” Panda said.

9:40 am: Replaying to a question on Trincomalee post issue, he said it would be pre-mature to comment on it.

9:35 am: Earlier this year, Sri Lanka had said “things are being finalised” with India to develop the port.

9:30 am: The island nation had also sought to assuage India’s unease over the Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean and said that it would ensure that New Delhi’s concerns were “not jeopardised”

9:25 am: The upcountry area in Sri Lanka is dominated by Tamil plantation workers who have strong bonding with Tamil Nadu and Panda said there have been lot of expectations from them to receive Modi.

9:15 am: “We feel our destinies are intertwined. We hope the Prime Minister’s visit will be able to provide further momentum in the ties between the two countries,” Panda said. In Kandy, the Prime Minister will visit the famous Dalada Maligawa which is a Buddhist temple.

9:10 am: Panda said India’s ties with Sri Lanka have witnessed qualitative transformation in the last few years and both the countries are willing to strengthen and diversify the relationship further.

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9:05 am: Asked about the proposed Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), Panda said there have been “headways” on it and hoped to finalise the pact by end of the current year.

9:00 am: On the Tamil issue, Panda said India is working closely with the Sri Lankan government over it and expressed hope that Colombo will fulfil the commitments made regarding devolution of power within next two years.

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8:55 am: “We do not envisage any formal talks but he will be interacting with the leaders and review the relationship in its entirety. Nothing is specifically earmarked for discussion during the current visit,” Panda said.

8:50 am: Briefing reporters on Modi’s visit, Joint Secretary (Indian Ocean Region) in the External Affairs Ministry, Sanjay Panda said no structured talks have been scheduled, but Modi will be interacting with the Sri Lankan leaders.

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8:45 am: Modi is visiting the country primarily to attend the biggest Buddhist festival ‘Vesak Day’ as its chief guest.

8:30 am: PM Modi’s schedule includes a visit to Kandy and interaction with a group of Tamil people in the upcountry region, seen as an effort to reach out to the community.

Watch this video

8:15 am: India has been pressing Sri Lanka for devolution of power to the Tamils as part of the reconciliation process.

8:00 am: PM Narendra Modi’s tweet

7:57 am: “Will be in Sri Lanka for a two day visit during which I will join Vesak Day celebrations & other programmes,” PM Narendra Modi tweeted this morning.