India and Sri Lanka Wednesday signed an MoU for cooperation in economic projects as Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed his government’s continued support to the government in the island nation in realising its vision for a stable, peaceful and prosperous Lanka.

 Mr Modi, who is scheduled to visit Lanka in the second week of May to inaugurate the UN ‘Vesak Day’ (Buddha Day), Wednesday held wide-ranging talks with visiting Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest. Mr Wickremesinghe, who is on a five-day working visit, also held talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other Indian leaders.  

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 An official statement said the discussions between the two sides provided them an opportunity to review the progress in implementation of the decisions taken during various high level exchanges in the past two years or so, including the visit of Mr Modi to Colombo in March 2015 and the visits of the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to India since February 2015.

 The two sides expressed their satisfaction at the progress in implementation of the outcomes of these exchanges, which further strengthened the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries. The Indian side reiterated India’s commitment to promoting prosperity in the neighbourhood.

 The MoU for cooperation in economic projects signed today outlines the agenda for bilateral economic cooperation in the foreseeable future. Both sides expressed their commitment to ensuring that this mutually beneficial agenda was expeditiously implemented. They also expressed the hope for early conclusion of the ongoing negotiations on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement.

 Pointing out that India had welcomed Lanka co-sponsoring the Resolution "Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka” at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last month, the Indian leadership expressed the earnest hope that recommendations on the reconciliation would be completed within the stipulated timeframe of two years.

 The Indian interlocutors requested continued cooperation of the Lankan authorities for humanitarian treatment of Indian fishermen, without resorting to force under any circumstances. Both sides welcomed the meeting of the Joint Working Group on Fisheries held in Colombo earlier this month. The Indian side also informed the Lankan side of the measures taken by India to encourage the Indian fishermen concerned for adopting deep sea fishing.