New Delhi, August 28: The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in India, Mahishini Kolonne, and the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, convened on Friday to review ongoing initiatives of the India-Sri Lanka Foundation (ISLF) and discuss new project proposals aimed at enhancing the partnership between the two nations.
Both officials co-chaired the 41st board meeting of the India-Sri Lanka Foundation held in New Delhi.
The India-Sri Lanka Foundation is a trust fund established by the governments of India and Sri Lanka. Its primary goal is to strengthen relations between the two countries by promoting economic, scientific, educational, technical, and cultural cooperation. This foundation was established under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 1998.
High Commissioner Santosh Jha shared on the social media platform X, “Today, I co-chaired the 41st board meeting of the India-Sri Lanka Foundation with Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in India, Mahishini Kolonne. Board members Mohan Kumar, Ashok Malik, and Prasad Kariyawasam also attended the meeting.”
He noted that the meeting reviewed the foundation’s current activities and considered new project proposals to deepen India-Sri Lanka relations in education, culture, science, technology, and other sectors.
Earlier, on August 6, India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Maitrey Kulkarni, handed over additional Bailey bridges to Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Cooperative Development, Upali Samarasinha.
These bridges will be installed by the Indian Army engineers in various regions of Sri Lanka, aiding in restoring connectivity and infrastructure development.
The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka stated on X, “The next set of Bailey bridges, weighing over 250 metric tons, was handed over today by Deputy High Commissioner Maitrey Kulkarni to Upali Samarasinha.”
These bridges are part of India’s $450 million reconstruction package, with installation carried out by Indian Army engineers across Sri Lanka.
On August 5, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reaffirmed India’s commitment to Sri Lanka under the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and the ‘Vision Ocean’ during his visit to the country.
During this trip, he met with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, Foreign Minister Wijitha Herath, and Foreign Secretary Aruni Ranatunga.
Additionally, he held separate meetings with opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and leaders from the Tamil and Indian-origin Tamil communities in Sri Lanka.
These discussions encompassed a comprehensive review of ongoing bilateral projects and cooperation issues, focusing on strengthening future collaboration.
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