Modi's Visit to Indian Ocean (Part 3)

About Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of India,is an island country near South-east of India.
Capital: Colombo


Currency: Srilankan Rupee

President: Maithripal Sirisena

Relations with India
India has cordial relations with Sri Lanka. The relationship between the two countries is more than 2,500 years old. The nearly three-decade long armed conflict between Sri Lankan forces and the LTTE came to an end in May 2009. During the course of the conflict, India supported the right of the Government of Sri Lanka to act against terrorist forces.

Outcome of Modi's Visit
This was the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Sri Lanka in 28 years. 

• Four major pacts signed between the two nations were: Agreement on Visa, Customs, Youth Development and building Rabindranath Tagore memorial at Ruhuna University in Matara.
• USD 318 million grant by India for railway sector in Lanka.  Modi also opened the last leg of the Indian-built northern rail line to Talaimannar.
• To modernise Trincomalee oil tank farms. IOC (Indian Oil Company) and Ceylon Petroleum have agreed to jointly develop the Upper Tank Farm of the China Bay Installation at the strategically located port.
• RBI and Central Bank of Sri Lanka agreed to enter into currency swap agreement of USD 1.5 billion to help keep Sri Lankan rupee stable.
• PM Modi also pushed for “early commencement of work” on the Sampur Coal Power Project in eastern Sri Lanka. This joint venture between the Ceylon Electricity Board and India’s National Thermal Power Corporation has been delayed because of environmental concerns.
• Prime Minister also visited war-torn Jaffna and became the second foreign leader to do so after David Cameroon of United Kingdom.