The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe paid an official visit to India in April 2017. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit. The two leaders discussed a range of bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest.
The two sides expressed their satisfaction at the progress in implementation of the outcomes of exchanges, which further strengthened the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries.
The leaders welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for ‘Cooperation in Economic Projects’, which outlines the agenda for bilateral economic cooperation in the foreseeable future. Both sides expressed their commitment to ensuring that this mutually beneficial agenda is expeditiously implemented.
They also expressed the hope for early conclusion of the ongoing negotiations on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement.
Pointing out that India had welcomed Sri Lanka co-sponsoring the Resolution “Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka” at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Indian leadership expressed the earnest hope that recommendations on the reconciliation would be completed within the stipulated timeframe of two years.
The Indian interlocutors requested continued cooperation of the Government of Sri Lanka for humanitarian treatment of Indian fishermen, without resorting to force under any circumstances.
Both sides welcomed the meeting of the Joint Working Group on Fisheries held in Colombo earlier in April 2017.
The Indian side also informed the Sri Lankan side of the measures taken by India to encourage the Indian fishermen concerned for adopting deep sea fishing.