Indian Vice President Departs After Successful Two-Day Official Visit to Sri Lanka

COLOMBO (News 1st); Indian Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan departed for New Delhi after concluding a successful two-day official visit to Sri Lanka.

A bilateral discussion between Vice President Radhakrishnan and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was held Sunday morning (19) at the Presidential Secretariat.

During the discussions, both leaders held extensive deliberations on further strengthening the long-standing friendship and cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.

Vice President Radhakrishnan stated that both countries expect to further enhance cooperation in the fields of economy, education, health, tourism, investment and trade, with particular emphasis on collaboration in energy security and port development.

Comprehensive discussions were also held on housing projects implemented in Sri Lanka with assistance from the Government of India, as well as initiatives under the USD 450 million package extended for areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah.

President Dissanayake observed that, beyond emergency assistance, cooperation from India to Sri Lanka has significantly expanded across economic, social and cultural sectors following understandings reached during his recent official visit to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka.

He noted that a number of programmes are currently being implemented and expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation will continue to strengthen.

The President also appreciated India’s special assistance following Cyclone Ditwah, expressed gratitude for funds allocated to Sri Lanka in the Indian national budget, and recalled India’s decision to dispatch a 38,000-metric-tonne fuel shipment to Sri Lanka in response to the energy crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict.

Emphasising India’s achievements in the field of technology, President Dissanayake stated that Sri Lanka looks forward to cooperating with India in these areas, particularly in human resource development and the digitalisation of the public sector. Fisheries-related issues were also discussed, with both sides agreeing on the need for close cooperation to arrive at a long-term and sustainable solution.

As part of the visit, a series of Memorandums of Understanding were signed on April 19, 2026.

These included an MoU for the construction of a four-storey medical ward complex at the District General Hospital in Mullaitivu, and six MoUs for the implementation of priority projects under the Multi-Sectoral Grant Assistance for the Eastern Province.

The latter cover women’s empowerment through the establishment of batik training centres, the establishment of a premature baby unit at the Base Hospital in Dehiattakandiya, construction of eye, ENT and mental health units at the Base Hospital in Muthur, establishment of contract farmer clusters, creation of a sustainable Ayurveda village, and construction of a ward complex at the Central Ayurvedic Dispensary in Gomarankadawla.

Several key announcements were also made during the visit.

These included extending Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) eligibility up to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora and simplifying the OCI process for the benefit of the Indian Origin Tamil community; the completion of Phase III of the Indian Housing Project, under which 4,000 houses were constructed for plantation community families; the resumption of train services on the restored Northern Railway Line as part of the post-Ditwah rehabilitation package; and the installation of three Bailey bridges, one in the Central Province (Kandy) and two in the Uva Province,also under the post-Ditwah rehabilitation programme.

Additionally, an enhancement under the Ceylon Estate Workers Education Trust scholarship scheme was announced for the benefit of students from estate communities, along with Sri Lanka’s agreement to join the India-led International Big Cat Alliance.