<p>Sri Lanka's newly elected <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sri-lanka-president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-arrives-in-india-265098">President Gotabaya Rajapaksa</a> met India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar today as the two countries look to further bilateral relations.</p>

<p>Before leaving for India, Gotabaya had said he is&nbsp;looking to strengthen ties with India as New Delhi seeks to reach out to the new leader.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thank you for your warm welcome India 🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/SyVzdUIyal">pic.twitter.com/SyVzdUIyal</a></p>
— Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) <a href="https://twitter.com/GotabayaR/status/1200084460676378624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Gotabaya will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House later in the day. Gotabaya had arrived on Thursday evening on his maiden foreign trip after becoming the island nation's president earlier this month.</p>

<p>Last week, India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar had made an unscheduled visit to the island country to physically hand over PM Modi's invite to Gotabaya to visit India. During the meet, India also called on the new leadership to continue the process of national reconciliation with regards to the minority Tamils.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The MEA had said that the Indian government is ready to work closely with the new government in Sri Lanka and expressed hope that it will fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil community living in the island nation.</p>

<p>"India is ready to closely work with the newly formed government in Sri Lanka and deepening our age-old relationship with the country. Our relationship with Sri Lanka or any other country is not dependent on a third country. It is entirely independent of any other factor," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said in a weekly briefing.</p>

<p>70-year-old Rajapaksa had defeated United National Party (UNP) candidate Sajith Premadasa by more than 13 lakh votes in the recently-concluded presidential elections in Sri Lanka. He is the second member of the Rajapaksa family to become the president.</p>

<p>His older brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is currently the island nation's prime minister, had served as president from 2005 to 2015.</p>


Sri Lanka's newly elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar today as the two countries look to further bilateral relations.

Sri Lanka's newly elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar today as the two countries look to further bilateral relations. Before leaving for India, Gotabaya had said he is looking to strengthen ties with India as New Delhi seeks to reach out to the new leader. Thank you for your warm welcome India 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/SyVzdUIyal — Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) November 28, 2019 × Gotabaya will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House later in the day. Gotabaya had arrived on Thursday evening on his maiden foreign trip after becoming the island nation's president earlier this month. Last week, India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar had made an unscheduled visit to the island country to physically hand over PM Modi's invite to Gotabaya to visit India. During the meet, India also called on the new leadership to continue the process of national reconciliation with regards to the minority Tamils. The MEA had said that the Indian government is ready to work closely with the new government in Sri Lanka and expressed hope that it will fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil community living in the island nation. "India is ready to closely work with the newly formed government in Sri Lanka and deepening our age-old relationship with the country. Our relationship with Sri Lanka or any other country is not dependent on a third country. It is entirely independent of any other factor," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said in a weekly briefing. 70-year-old Rajapaksa had defeated United National Party (UNP) candidate Sajith Premadasa by more than 13 lakh votes in the recently-concluded presidential elections in Sri Lanka. He is the second member of the Rajapaksa family to become the president. His older brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is currently the island nation's prime minister, had served as president from 2005 to 2015.

Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa meets external affairs minister S Jaishankar

<p>Sri Lanka <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sri-lanka-president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-meets-external-affairs-minister-s-jaishankar-265180">President Gotabaya </a>Rajapaksa&nbsp;&nbsp;met PM Modi at Hyderabad House today as the two leaders sought to further bilateral relations between the two countries.</p>

<p>Addressing a joint press briefing, PM Modi said, "A strong Sri Lanka is not only in the interest of India but that of the entire Indian Ocean region," adding, "the mandate was given to you (Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) is the expression of the ambitions of the people of Sri Lanka for a strong country."</p>

<p>"Sri Lanka and India share a strong bond. We give priority to our relations with Sri Lanka under our 'Neighbourhood First' policy," PM Modi said.</p>

<p>Under the Indian housing project, 46,000 houses has&nbsp;already been made in Sri Lanka with 14,000 houses being further made for people of Tamil origin. India has also extended $100 million credit line for solar projects.</p>

<p><strong>Watch Video:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sri-lankan-prez-gotabaya-rajapaksa-receives-ceremonial-welcome-at-rashtrapati-bhawan-265187/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"We exchanged our views on reconciliation in Sri Lanka. President Rajapaksa told me of his inclusive political point of view on ethnic harmony," PM Modi said.</p>

<p>"I believe the Sri Lanka government will take forward procedure of reconciliation to fulfil ambitions of equality, justice, peace &amp; respect of Tamils," the Indian prime minister added.</p>

<p>&nbsp;Earlier, PM Modi and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had a closed-door meeting in which they discussed over twenty community projects, including the issue of Indian fishermen. PM Modi announced a $400 million line&nbsp;of credit to the island nation which included $50 million to fight terror.</p>

<p>The Lankan president said his country would work with India to strengthen ties.</p>

<p>"Will work to make the Indian Ocean peaceful,"&nbsp;Gotabaya Rajapaksa said while issuing the joint statement.</p>

<p>The newly elected president had earlier met India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar.&nbsp;Gotabaya Rajapaksa&nbsp;later met India's national security adviser Ajit Doval.</p>

<p>During&nbsp;the day, the Sri Lankan president was accorded a ceremonial welcome with President Kovind and PM Modi present during the ceremony.</p>


Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met PM Modi at Hyderabad House today as the two leaders sought to further bilateral relations between the two countries. Addressing a joint press briefing, PM Modi said, "A strong Sri Lanka is not only in the interest of India but that of the entire Indian Ocean region," adding, "the mandate was given to you (Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) is the expression of the ambitions of the people of Sri Lanka for a strong country.

Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met PM Modi at Hyderabad House today as the two leaders sought to further bilateral relations between the two countries. Addressing a joint press briefing, PM Modi said, "A strong Sri Lanka is not only in the interest of India but that of the entire Indian Ocean region," adding, "the mandate was given to you (Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) is the expression of the ambitions of the people of Sri Lanka for a strong country." "Sri Lanka and India share a strong bond. We give priority to our relations with Sri Lanka under our 'Neighbourhood First' policy," PM Modi said. Under the Indian housing project, 46,000 houses has already been made in Sri Lanka with 14,000 houses being further made for people of Tamil origin. India has also extended $100 million credit line for solar projects. Watch Video: "We exchanged our views on reconciliation in Sri Lanka. President Rajapaksa told me of his inclusive political point of view on ethnic harmony," PM Modi said. "I believe the Sri Lanka government will take forward procedure of reconciliation to fulfil ambitions of equality, justice, peace & respect of Tamils," the Indian prime minister added. Earlier, PM Modi and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had a closed-door meeting in which they discussed over twenty community projects, including the issue of Indian fishermen. PM Modi announced a $400 million line of credit to the island nation which included $50 million to fight terror. The Lankan president said his country would work with India to strengthen ties. "Will work to make the Indian Ocean peaceful," Gotabaya Rajapaksa said while issuing the joint statement. The newly elected president had earlier met India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar. Gotabaya Rajapaksa later met India's national security adviser Ajit Doval. During the day, the Sri Lankan president was accorded a ceremonial welcome with President Kovind and PM Modi present during the ceremony.

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