Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the revered Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, and jointly inaugurated two India-assisted railway projects alongside Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Situated around 200 kilometres from Colombo, Anuradhapura is a historic and spiritual city of deep significance to Buddhist devotees.
During the visit, Prime Minister Modi offered prayers at the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi shrine and sought blessings from the head monk at the temple.
"Offered prayers at the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura with President Dissanayake. It's a deeply humbling moment to be at one of the most revered sites in Buddhism," Modi wrote in a social media post.
"It is a living symbol of peace, enlightenment and spiritual continuity. May the teachings of Lord Buddha always guide us," he added.
The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple is believed to house a sapling of the Bodhi tree from India’s Bodhgaya, under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the sapling was brought to Sri Lanka by Theri Sanghamitta, daughter of Emperor Ashoka, in the 3rd Century BCE.
"The temple stands as a testament to the strong civilisational linkages that form the foundation of the close India-Sri Lanka partnership," the MEA said.
Following their visit to the temple, Prime Minister Modi and President Dissanayake launched two key railway projects developed with Indian assistance in Anuradhapura.
These include the 128-km-long Maho-Omanthai railway line, refurbished with Indian support amounting to USD 91.27 million, and the construction of a modern signalling system from Maho to Anuradhapura, funded through a grant of USD 14.89 million.
"These landmark railway modernisation projects implemented under the India-Sri Lanka development partnership represent a significant milestone in strengthening north-south rail connectivity in Sri Lanka," the MEA stated.
"They would facilitate fast and efficient movement of both passenger and freight traffic across the country," it added.
The visit to Sri Lanka follows the Prime Minister’s earlier stop in Thailand. On Saturday, Modi and President Dissanayake held extensive discussions and unveiled more than ten outcomes, including seven agreements to enhance cooperation in defence, energy and digital connectivity.
Among the key outcomes was a trilateral agreement involving India, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates to develop Trincomalee as a regional energy hub. Another notable pact focused on strengthening power grid connectivity between the two nations.
The defence agreement marked a renewed thrust in India-Sri Lanka strategic relations, coming nearly four decades after the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) episode.
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