India, Lanka to expand bilateral co-operation

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday reiterated the importance India attached to its ties with Sri Lanka as the island nation’s new Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana called on him in the capital New Delhi.“The prime minister reaffirmed the high importance that India attaches to its relations with Sri Lanka,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.“Both countries enjoy deep and broad-based ties,” it added.Modi conveyed to Marapana that he looked forward to continuing to work closely with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to further strengthen and expand bilateral co-operation.He also congratulated Marapana on assuming his new responsibility as foreign minister. Marapana, who assumed office on August 15, arrived In New Delhi on Friday on a three-day trip to India in what is his first official visit abroad.“The prime minister referred to his fruitful visit to Sri Lanka in May this year for the International Vesak Day,” the PMO statement said.Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Susham Swaraj held delegation-level talks with Marapana.“The two sides discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and ways to further deepen the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries,” the external affairs ministry said in a separate statement.Sushma Swaraj and Marapana had earlier met this month when she went to Colombo to attend the Second Indian Ocean Conference.Patrol vessel handed over: The Indian Coast Guard has handed over offshore patrol vessel ICGS Varuna to the Sri Lankan Coast Guard, an official statement said.The patrol vessel was handed over to Rear Admiral Samantha Wimalathunge, the director general of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, by Rajendra Singh, director general of the Indian Coast Guard, at a ceremony on Tuesday.Rear Admiral S S Ranasinghe, Chief of Staff, Sri Lanka Navy, was also present during the ceremony.“The handing over of the Indian Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel to Government of Sri Lanka for training and surveillance purposes is part of India’s continuing efforts for cementing the historical and cultural ties between the two countries,” the Indian Coast Guard said.India has earlier handed over two offshore patrol vessels of the Indian Coast Guard - Varaha in April 2006 and Vigraha in August 2008.ICGS Varuna, named after sea god Varuna, was commissioned in the Indian Coast Guard in February 1988.The ship was decommissioned with traditional honours on August 23 this year to facilitate the handing over.The ship has been allocated pennant number SLCG-60 by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard and will be commanded by Captain (ASW) Neville Amara Ubayasiri.Prior to the ship’s departure, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard crew will be imparted familiarisation and on-job training by the Indian Coast Guard workup team on ship handling, bridge navigation, engine room controls and machinery.Coast Guard D-G Rajendra Singh, in his remarks at the transfer ceremony, highlighted the significance of mutually beneficial relations shared between both the countries.He also fondly remembered the contributions of the erstwhile training ship and wished good luck to the Sri Lankan crew in all future endeavours.The Sri Lanka Coast Guard D-G conveyed the gratitude of the Sri Lanka government for the transfer.