India and Sri Lanka vowed to intensify cooperation in combating terrorism, and work together for security and stability in their maritime neighbourhood following a meeting between PM Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Modi said both countries recognized their closely aligned security interests and the need to remain sensitive to each other's concerns. “We both reaffirmed our commitment to deepen our defence and security cooperation,“ he added. “Sri Lanka is our largest partner in defence training programme and we will continue to expand our cooperation in this area,“ he added.
Thanking Wickremesinghe for choosing India for his first overseas trip after becoming PM for the fourth term, Modi hoped that the country will achieve “genuine reconciliation“ and development so that all people, including the Tamil community , can live a “life of equality, justice, peace and dignity in a united Sri Lanka“.
On the fishermen issue, Modi said it was agreed that fishermen's associations on both sides should continue their efforts to find a solution. “I conveyed to him that this should be seen as a humanitarian issue that affects livelihoods,“ he added.
Calling his discussions with Wickremesinghe “excellent“, Modi said India would like to see the bilateral trade grow and become more balanced for Sri Lanka.
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