Basil to make second visit to India

COLOMBO (News 1st); Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa is to engage in a visit to India from 10th January to 12th January, The Hindu reports. 

Accordingly, Minister Basil Rajapaksa would lead a delegation to the ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ summit to be held from January 10 to 12,  and is likely to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during this visit, his second to India in about a month.

Rajapaksa was previously in New Delhi from November 30th to December 2nd. Despite officials indicating that he was scheduled to call on the Indian Prime Minister Modi, the meeting did not take place, reportedly due to scheduling issues.

He, however, held talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The dignitaries were able to draw up a “four pillar” initiative, as part of which India agreed to extend emergency Lines of Credit for import of food, medicines and fuel, and a currency swap to help the island nation tide over its relentless dollar crisis.