Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa meets PM Modi at Hyderabad House

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House on Friday.

Both the leaders will hold discussions to strengthen existing bilateral relations between the two countries.

After talks, both leaders will issue a joint statement.

The Sri Lankan President, who arrived here with a high-level delegation on Thursday, will later call on President Kovind.

Earlier in the day, he paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

In his first comment to media after landing in the national capital, the newly elected Sri Lanka president said that Colombo and New Delhi need to "work together" for economic development and security of their people.

"It is my first overseas visit after assuming duties as a president of Sri Lanka. I want to express my gratitude to the India government to the President and the Prime Minister," Rajapaksa said.

"My expectations are very high. As my tenure as the president. I want to take the relationship between Sri Lanka and India to a higher level. We have of course long-standing friendship--historically culturally and politically. We need to work together for economic development and security of our people," he added.

Upon his arrival at Rashtrapati Bhawan, Rajapaksa was received by President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was accorded a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Earlier in the day, Rajapaksa met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

He is slated to attend a programme in the city on Saturday. Later in the evening, Rajapaksa will emplane for Sri Lanka.

-ANI

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