Vice President C P Radhakrishnan concluded his two-day visit to Sri Lanka on Monday after holding wide-ranging talks with the island nation’s leadership and signing several agreements aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation.
Radhakrishnan, the first Vice President of India to visit Sri Lanka, arrived in Colombo on Sunday and held discussions with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on the same day. The talks focused on strengthening development partnership, ongoing Indian-assisted projects and regional cooperation.
Both sides reviewed India-backed initiatives in Sri Lanka, including projects under a USD 450 million assistance package linked to post-Cyclone Ditwah reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts, particularly in areas affected by the disaster and the Indian-origin Tamil community.
Six MoUs signed across key sectors
Following the talks, India and Sri Lanka signed six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering health, infrastructure and community development projects.
These include the construction of a medical ward in Mullaitivu, establishment of a premature baby unit in Dehiattakandiya, and setting up of eye, ENT and mental health units in Muthur, among others.
Both sides also announced progress on post-disaster rehabilitation measures, including the resumption of train services on the restored Northern Railway Line and installation of Bailey bridges in affected regions.
Sri Lanka will also join the India-led International Big Cat Alliance, marking another step in environmental cooperation between the two countries.
Focus on diaspora, housing and education
India also announced extension of Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) eligibility up to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora, along with simplification of procedures for the benefit of the Indian-origin Tamil community.
Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan met Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya
The Ceylon Estate Workers Education Trust scholarship scheme will also be expanded, with scholarships doubled from 350 to 700 and monthly stipends increased significantly for students.
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The Vice President also announced the completion of Phase 3 of the Indian Housing Project in Sri Lanka, which includes 4,000 houses for estate workers across Central, Uva and Southern provinces. Of these, 3,855 houses had already been handed over earlier, while the remaining 145 units were completed during the visit.
Community outreach and cultural ties
During his visit to Nuwara Eliya, Radhakrishnan met beneficiaries of Indian housing projects at Liddlesdale Estate and reiterated India’s commitment to the welfare of the Indian-origin Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
He also visited the Seetha Amman Temple in Seetha Eliya, describing it as a symbol of deep civilisational ties between the two countries rooted in the Ramayana tradition.
Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier announcement regarding the temple’s renovation, he said the initiative would further strengthen historical and cultural linkages.
The Vice President departed for New Delhi after concluding what his office described as a “successful and productive visit.”
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