Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha described the visit to island nation as “very important” and likely will set a fresh agenda for bilateral cooperation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6 marks a significant moment in India-Sri Lanka relations, with Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha describing it as “very important” and likely to set a fresh agenda for bilateral cooperation.
The visit, which follows PM Modi’s participation in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand, comes at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. It is Modi’s first trip to the island nation since the formation of Sri Lanka’s new government and is seen as a symbolic and strategic reaffirmation of neighbourhood ties.
“Our relationship today is on an upswing, and Prime Minister Modi will be coming as the first foreign guest under the new government,” said Jha in an interview to ANI. “You would recall that last year, in December, President Dissanayake visited India as his first foreign destination. So this is a very, very important visit.”
Jha confirmed that PM Modi will hold formal engagements in Colombo on April 5 and travel to the sacred city of Anuradhapura on April 6, further highlighting the deep cultural and spiritual connections between the two countries. The visit, he said, would build on existing understandings while opening new chapters in cooperation.
Highlighting the forward-looking agenda, Jha said the two countries are set to ink agreements across a wide range of sectors including connectivity, energy, and digitisation — identified as the three pillars of the partnership during Dissanayake’s visit to New Delhi. Discussions are also expected to yield outcomes in the health sector, and a framework Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation is being finalised.
“Our bilateral ties have never been stronger. They are in very good shape,” Jha said, adding that both sides are working towards tangible results during the Prime Minister’s visit.
Ahead of PM Modi’s arrival, cultural figures in Sri Lanka have also emphasised the historical depth of Indo-Lankan ties. Buddhist monk Buddhananda, who speaks Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit, spoke to ANI about the ancient cultural links between the two nations. Highlighting India’s support during Sri Lanka’s recent challenges, he said, “Sri Lanka went through a difficult period, and the Indian government helped us.”
Buddhananda praised PM Modi’s initiatives to promote Buddhism across the region, including the development of an Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) centre in Sri Lanka. “PM Narendra Modi is going to do some marvellous projects to develop Buddhism. He is trying to develop Buddhism in India… An ICCR centre is being developed in Sri Lanka,” he said.
“Our relationship today is on an upswing, and Prime Minister Modi will be coming as the first foreign guest under the new government.”
-Santosh Jha, Indian High Commissioner
Drawing attention to linguistic and cultural overlaps, the monk noted that Sri Lanka’s Sinhala language has inherited over 70% of its vocabulary from Sanskrit and Magadhi, further underlining the long-standing connections.
On the eve of his departure, PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter), “My visit to Sri Lanka will take place from the 4th till the 6th. This visit comes after the successful visit of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to India. We will review the multifaceted India-Sri Lanka friendship and discuss newer avenues of cooperation. I look forward to the various meetings there.” This visit to Sri Lanka follows Modi’s third trip to Thailand, where he attended the BIMSTEC Summit hosted by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. India’s growing engagement in the Bay of Bengal region — through BIMSTEC and bilateral ties — signals New Delhi’s deepening strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific.
Modi’s outreach in Sri Lanka is expected to reinforce New Delhi’s “Neighbourhood First” policy while also countering growing Chinese influence in the region. With agreements spanning digital infrastructure, health, energy, and defence on the cards, the visit could redefine regional cooperation at a time when both countries seek economic recovery and greater integration. As both nations prepare for a new chapter in their relationship, PM Modi’s visit is poised to not just reaffirm longstanding cultural bonds but also forge new paths of regional partnership and development.
