Lankan Prez begins 3-day India visit

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka on Sunday held "fruitful" discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, shortly after kick-starting a three-day visit to India.

It is Disanayaka's first foreign trip after assuming charge as the president. He will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday that is expected to focus on boosting bilateral engagement in areas of trade, investment, energy and maritime security.

In his separate discussions with Jaishankar and Doval, issues relating to overall bilateral ties including ways to expand strategic ties between the two neighbouring nations are believed to have figured.

New Delhi has been maintaining that development of the two countries are "intertwined" and that it is necessary to work together keeping in mind each other's security interests and sensitivities.

"Held fruitful discussions tonight with Dr S Jaishankar and Ajit Doval on matters of mutual interest," Disanayaka said in a post on 'X'.

There was no official details on the discussions besides the post by the Sri Lankan leader.

In the delegation-level talks between Modi and Disanayaka, the Indian side is also likely to convey to the Sri Lankan leader New Delhi's expectations from Colombo to fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil community in the island nation.

The Tamil community in Sri Lanka has been demanding the implementation of the 13th Amendment that provides for devolution of power to it. The 13th amendment was brought in after the Indo-Sri Lankan agreement of 1987.