During the visit, he engaged in high-level discussions with Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Harini Amarasuriya, reaffirming the strong diplomatic relationship between Sri Lanka and India and exploring avenues for further cooperation.
A number of agreements were also signed between the two countries, focusing on development collaboration, including support for areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah and other joint initiatives backed by the Government of India.
As part of his programme, the Vice President visited the Indian Housing Project (Phase III) at Liddlesdale Estate in Ragala, Nuwara Eliya, where he met residents who have benefited from the housing scheme. He reiterated India’s continued commitment to improving the living conditions of the Indian-origin Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
He highlighted that India has already facilitated the construction of 50,000 houses for Tamil families in the Northern, Eastern, and plantation regions, with a further 10,000 houses planned under the next phase of the project.
During his visit to Nuwara Eliya, he also expressed sympathy over the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah and reviewed India’s relief efforts carried out under ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’.
In addition, the Vice President visited the Seetha Amman Temple and the Hanuman Kovil, paying respects at sites of religious and cultural significance. He also recalled Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier pledge to support the renovation of the Seetha Amman Temple, noting that such initiatives would further strengthen the cultural ties between the two nations.
