Sri Lankan PM Harini Amarasuriya hails strong ties with India, says relations will ‘flourish and prosper’

NEW DELHI: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on Saturday said that bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka are currently passing through one of their best phases, expressing confidence that ties will “flourish and prosper” in the times to come for the benefit of people in both nations.

Amarasuriya, who is on a three-day official visit to India, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi. The discussions centred on strengthening bilateral cooperation and addressing key regional issues, including the long-standing matter of the fishermen’s issue.

Speaking at the conclusion of her visit, Amarasuriya said, “I wish all of you a wonderful Diwali. We celebrate in Sri Lanka on Monday. I had a very good three days. I had very good meetings with Dr Jaishankar and also with PM Modi. I think we were able to discuss many issues of importance to both countries and cement the very good relationship that started with our President’s visit last year, and then followed on with Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka as well.”
Describing her trip as “very successful,” she emphasised the growing cooperation between the two countries across multiple sectors. “Like I said, this is one of the best times for relationships between Sri Lanka and India and I can only see it flourish and prosper for the benefit of both our people and that’s what we want,” she added.

Reflecting on her time in Delhi, Amarasuriya shared personal memories from her student days. “It was great, I mean Delhi has changed a lot, Hindu College has changed a lot, but the people are still the same. The warmth is there. I caught up with some of my friends, some of my teachers, so that was really special, it was really lovely,” she said.

Yesterday, during her talks with Prime Minister Modi, Amarasuriya discussed the long-standing fishermen issue between the two countries, seeking a sustainable and humane solution that protects livelihoods on both sides of the Palk Strait.

Earlier speaking to ANI, Sri Lankan Prime Minister called the fishermen issue a “sensitive one,” Amarasuriya said Sri Lanka must protect the livelihoods of its fishermen but will maintain dialogue with India to address concerns from both sides.

Her remarks came after she held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, where the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including the welfare of fishermen.

“That is an ongoing issue and something that needs to be discussed. We need to protect the livelihoods of our fishermen as well, but we understand that it’s a sensitive issue, and we will continue to talk about it,” she said.

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister said both countries must ensure continued dialogue to protect fishing communities. “It is important for both our countries to ensure that the communities dependent on fishing are supported, and we will maintain dialogue to find practical solutions,” she added.

The fishermen’s issue has long been a contentious point between the two neighbours. Tensions often arise over Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu entering Sri Lankan waters near Katchatheevu, leading to arrests and boat seizures by the Sri Lankan Navy. The Palk Strait, a narrow stretch of sea separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, remains a vital but disputed fishing zone.

Following the meeting, Prime Minister Modi said on X that he and Amarasuriya discussed a “broad range of areas, including education, women’s empowerment, innovation, development cooperation, and the welfare of our fishermen.”

He added that “as close neighbours, our cooperation holds immense importance for the prosperity of our two peoples as well as the shared region.”

Amarasuriya also met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and engaged with Indian educational institutions. She described her visit as “very successful”. She said that it helped cement the “very good relationship” that began with the visit of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe to India last year, followed by Prime Minister Modi’s trip to Sri Lanka. (ANI)