Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla visiting Sri Lanka, meets senior leaders

On Oct 3, the first full day of his visit, the Foreign Secretary visited the northern province of Jaffna where he reviewed the progress on the development and rehabilitation of the Palaly airport. 

The project is important for the socio-economic welfare of the Tamil dominated northern province. 

Earlier in the day, the Foreign Secretary also visited the Oil Tank Farms in Triconmalee where according to the Indian High Commission 'Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) briefed him about the development undertaken at the Lower Tank Farms and the possibilities for further strengthening India-SL energy partnership and enhance SL’s energy security.' 

His visit to the site assumes significance as oil sector trade unions in Sri Lanka have demanded that tanks be brought under the control of the state fuel entity Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). 

Ending the day at the iconic Jaffna cultural center, the Foreign Secretary appreciated the state of the art cultural center which was built with Indian grant assistance to help the people of the region reconnect with their roots and share cultural heritage with India.

He called on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday and had a productive discussion on further consolidating the India-Sri Lanka partnership.

The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said in a tweet: “Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla called on HE Mahinda Rajapaksa@PresRajapaksa today and had a productive discussion on further consolidating the multifaceted India-Sri Lanka partnership.”

The High Commission put out similar tweets in Sinhala and in Tamil as well.

Shringla is also to call on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Later, along with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris and Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, Shringla garlanded the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at Temple Trees, the official residence of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

“Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 152nd birth anniversary, which fell on 2nd Oct, Foreign Minister Prof. GL Peiris, Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla, High Commissioner of India, and other dignitaries garlanded the Gandhi bust at Temple trees,” the Indian High Commission tweeted.

On Oct 2, 2019, then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe unveiled a bronze bust of Mahatma Gandhi at his official residence 'Temple Trees'.

The bronze bust has been sculpted by the Padma Bhushan awardee Ram Vanji Sutar.