Colombo : India’s Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan arrived at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on Sunday as part of his official two-day visit to Sri Lanka (April 19–20). During the visit, he called on Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and held high-level discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared on social media platform X that the meeting focused on deepening the multifaceted India–Sri Lanka relationship, which is rooted in shared history, culture, and civilisational links.
The Vice President reiterated India’s commitment to its Neighbourhood First policy and emphasized continued cooperation for mutual benefit. The discussions also covered ongoing development initiatives, including the Indian Housing Project and a USD 450 million assistance package directed toward regions affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka.
The MEA stated that the Vice President’s itinerary includes meetings with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, the Leader of the Opposition, and representatives of Tamil political groups, including Indian-origin Tamil communities.
As part of his engagement with the diaspora, Radhakrishnan is also scheduled to visit Nuwara Eliya, a key tea-growing region where a large Indian-origin Tamil population resides. He will inspect housing projects under Phase III of India’s Housing Initiative, which has already completed 4,000 homes, with 10,000 more under construction. The visit will also include a stop at the Seetha Temple.
Welcoming the visit, Santosh Menon, President of the Lanka India Business Association, called it a “significant moment” in bilateral relations, noting that ties between the two countries are currently at their strongest level.
Kishore Reddy, President of the Indian CEO Forum in Sri Lanka, also expressed optimism, stating that the visit would further strengthen people-to-people connections as well as economic and business cooperation.
The MEA described Sri Lanka as a key partner under India’s Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR framework, adding that the visit is expected to further reinforce centuries-old civilisational ties and deepen bilateral engagement.