New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan called on Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on Sunday, with discussions held on strengthening bilateral and cultural ties between the two nations.

During the meeting, Radhakrishnan reaffirmed India's commitment to the Neighbourhood policy and further strengthening cooperation between India and Sri Lanka for the benefit of people of two nations.

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "Vice President Shri. C.P. Radhakrishnan called-on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of Sri Lanka at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo today. They held productive discussions on further deepening the multifaceted India -Sri Lanka ties, rooted in shared history and cultural values."

"Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan reaffirmed India’s commitment to the Neighbourhood First policy and to further strengthen our cooperation for the benefit of both nations. The discussions also focused on various initiatives including the Indian Housing Project and projects being implemented under the USD 450 mn package for areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka," he added.

Earlier in the day, the Vice President arrived in Colombo on Sunday for a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka.

This visit underscores the growing momentum in diplomatic engagement between the neighbours.

The Vice President was accorded a warm welcome upon his arrival in the Lankan capital with a traditional Kandyan dance performance.

The visit is notable as the first bilateral official trip by an Indian Vice President to Sri Lanka. This visit will focus on strengthening the civilisational and people-to-people ties between the two nations.

During the visit, VP Radhakrishnan is scheduled to hold discussions with Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. His engagements will also include interactions with leaders of the Indian-origin Tamil community and Tamil representatives from the Northern and Eastern regions of the island nation.

The Vice President will also address members of the Indian diaspora at a community event in Colombo. At the event, he will virtually hand over houses to beneficiaries from Tamil communities constructed under the third phase of the Indian Housing Project. With this phase, the total number of houses built for Tamil communities will reach 50,000, while an additional 10,000 houses are currently being developed under the initiative's fourth phase.

On Monday, VP Radhakrishnan will travel to Nuwara Eliya, where he will visit project sites and interact with the local Tamil community. Indian-origin Tamilians form a significant segment of Sri Lanka's population, numbering around 1.6 million, or approximately 7 per cent.

The visit comes amid a series of recent high-level exchanges between the two countries, including Sri Lankan President Dissanayake's visit to India in February and Prime Minister Amarasuriya's trip in October 2025. It is expected to further deepen the millennia-old civilisational and people-to-people ties shared by India and Sri Lanka.

--IANS

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