NEW DELHI: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake vowed to bolster ties with India on Monday on his first overseas visit as head of state, with a red carpet welcome by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Leftist Dissanayake, who came to power in September on a pledge to fight corruption, said the ties between the nations held a "significant place" in their foreign policy, adding that Modi had "assured us of full support". Modi said he was "happy" that India was Dissanayake's first foreign visit, saying after their meeting it would "add new energy and speed" to ties.
"We faced an unprecedented economic crisis two years ago and India supported us immensely to come out of that quagmire," Dissanayake added. Dissanayake said he had held "productive discussions" with India's finance and foreign ministers, as well as national security adviser Ajit Doval. "These engagements reaffirm the commitment to deepening the partnership between our two nations," Dissanayake said in a statement. — AFP
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