During his visit to Sri Lanka next week, Indian Prime Minister will flag off the first train signifying recommencement of the Thalaimannar - Medawchchiya sector of the train service to Colombo, following the rehabilitation work carried out with Indian credit assistance, the Ministry said.
Upon his arrival on 13th March, Prime Minister Modi will be accorded a ceremonial welcome including a Guard of Honour and Gun Salute.
President Maithripala Sirisena will hold bilateral discussions with the visiting Prime Minister and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will host a lunch in honor of Prime Minister Modi.
The Indian Prime Minister will address a Special Sitting of Parliament. He will also lay a wreath at the IPKF Memorial and visit the Mahabodhi Society.
President Maithripala Sirisena will host a State Banquet in honor of the visiting Prime Minister.
During the visit, the Indian Premier is expected to travel to Anuradhapura, Thalaimannar and Jaffna. In Anuradhapura, he will visit the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi. While in Jaffna, the visiting Prime Minister will unveil a plaque at the site of the proposed India- funded Jaffna Cultural Centre and also hand over to beneficiaries, houses built with Indian assistance.
In Thalaimannar, he will flag off the first train signifying recommencement of the Thalaimannar/Medawchchiya sector of the train service to Colombo, following the rehabilitation work carried out with Indian credit assistance.
All services on the line were stopped in June 1990 after the LTTE blasted the Mannar bridge, which linked Mannar and Thalaimannar island. Prime Minister Modi's visit is the first official visit to Sri Lanka by an Indian Prime Minister after lapse of 27 years. President Maithripala Sirisena undertook his first State visit to India from 15 to 18 February 2015, after assumption of the Presidency.
"The exchange of high level visits is a manifestation of the keen desire of the two countries to build upon and nurture an age-old friendship to a level of extraordinary level of excellence," the Ministry said.
Prime Minister Modi will begin a tour on three Indian Ocean islands -Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka on March 10.
"Modi's visit will provide opportunities for building on the close contacts at the highest political level and enhance mutual cooperation and understanding on major issues of common interest," the Indian External Affairs Ministry said.
