Sri Lanka President Meets PM Modi; Thanks India For Cyclone Ditwah Support

Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met PM Modi on Friday at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the India-AI Impact Summit.

President Dissanayake thanked PM Modi for inviting him to the summit and for India’s ‘exceptional support’ after Cyclone Ditwah.

President Dissanayake posted on X that he and PM Modi held wide-ranging talks.

He said they reviewed ways to strengthen historic ties and expand cooperation in trade, culture and the economy.

Dissanayakeb also expressed gratitude for India’s rapid relief and reconstruction assistance.

Strengthening Bilateral Strategic Partnership

Prime Minister Modi described Sri Lanka as a ‘valued neighbour’ and said the meeting reinforced the longstanding friendship between the two countries.

PM Modi noted progress across bilateral relations. He highlighted potential cooperation in energy, connectivity, infrastructure, healthcare, skilling, culture and the blue economy.

During the visit, President Dissanayake met several other world leaders.

He held talks with President Emmanuel Macron, President Aleksandar Vučić and President Peter Pellegrini, among others.

Dissanayake said these discussions focused on leveraging AI for global good and strengthening multilateral collaboration.

In his summit address, President Dissanayake urged that technology should uplift civilisation rather than erode cultural values.

He stressed that AI must serve humanity and preserve human capacities.

India acted swiftly after Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka. Acting as a first responder under Operation Sagar Bandhu, New Delhi committed a reconstruction package worth USD 450 million.

The scheme covers restoration of roads, railways and bridges. It also includes housing reconstruction for fully and partially damaged homes, and support for health and education services affected by the cyclone.

The package will assist agricultural recovery to mitigate short- and medium-term shortages. It will strengthen disaster response and preparedness systems across Sri Lanka.

Several Sri Lankan leaders publicly thanked New Delhi for its assistance. They said India arrived ‘when it mattered most’.

Both sides agreed to follow up on implementation. They pledged continued cooperation to expedite reconstruction and deepen bilateral ties for mutual benefit.

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