Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa to visit India from Feb 7-11

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will visit India from February 7-11, during which he will hold extensive talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. "The visit is in continuation of the tradition of high-level exchanges between India and Sri Lanka," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said during a media briefing.

President Gotabaya Rajpaksa visited India in November which was his first official overseas trip after taking charge of the top office. Apart from his official engagement in Delhi, Mahinda Rajapaksa will also travel to Varanasi, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya and Tirupati, Kumar said.

A host of issues, including fulfilling the aspirations of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, the situation in the Indian Ocean region and ways to boost defence and trade ties, are expected to figure in the talks between Modi and the Sri Lankan prime minister.