Minister of Finance of India Nirmala Sitharaman has arrived in the country today on a three-day official visit.
She was received by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya and Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Jeevan Thondaman at the Bandaranaike International Airport.
During her visit, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will call on President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo.
She will also hold discussions with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry.
During the visit, Minister Sitharaman is scheduled to deliver the keynote address as the Guest of Honour at the ‘NAAM 200’ organised by the government to commemorate the 200th anniversary of arrival of Indian-origin Tamils (IOTs) to Sri Lanka, at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo tomorrow.
“NAAM 200” will be graced by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Jeevan Thondaman, senior leaders cutting across political parties, among several other dignitaries.
Other invitees from Indian political parties, and representatives of the Malaysian Tamil Congress, will also attend the event.
Indian Finance Minister Sitharaman will also deliver the keynote address at the India-Sri Lanka Business Summit on the theme ‘Enhancing Connectivity: Partnering for Prosperity’, being jointly organised by Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Indo-Lanka Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, in Colombo tomorrow.
The Indian Finance Minister will witness the exchange of the Memorandum of Understanding for Solar Electrification of places worship in Sri Lanka wherein India will allocate 824 million Indian rupees out of the GOI grant assistance of 1.07 billion Indian rupees earmarked for the promotion of Buddhist ties.
Minister Sitharaman will also inaugurate State Bank of India branches in Trincomalee and Jaffna during her visit.
Furthermore, Finance Minister Sitharaman will visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, Thirukoneswaram Temple in Trincomalee and Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in Jaffna during the course of her visit to Sri Lanka.
Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also slated to visit the Lanka IOC Oil Tank Farms, Jaffna Cultural Centre and the Jaffna Public Library during her official three-day visit to Sri Lanka.
