Terrorism joint threat: Modi

Colombo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sri Lanka’s top leadership, including President Maithripala Sirisena, on Sunday and both sides agreed that terrorism is a “joint threat” that needs collective and focussed action, weeks after the island nation witnessed the worst jihadi attack.

Modi is the first foreign leader to visit Sri Lanka after the deadly Easter terror attacks in April. His visit is considered as a sign of India’s affirmation of solidarity with Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the attacks.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the two leaders discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest. A banquet was hosted in honour of PM Modi by President Sirisena.

Modi also received a special gift, a replica of the Samadhi Buddha Statue, from “special friend” Sirisena.

Earlier, Modi’s entourage made a detour to St Anthony’s church — one of the sites of the horrific Easter Sunday attacks — on way from the airport to the Presidential Secretariat, where a red carpet welcome awaited.

Modi paid tribute to the victims of the deadly terror strikes and said the “cowardly acts cannot defeat the spirit of Sri Lanka”. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of blasts that tore through St Anthony’s Church in Colombo, St Sebastian’s Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa, and three high-end hotels frequented by tourists in the deadliest violence since the devastating civil war ended in 2009.

The Islamic State has claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaath (NTJ) for the bombings.

After paying tribute to the victims, Modi arrived at the President’s House where he was accorded a ceremonial reception. He also planted a sapling of an Ashoka tree at the President’s House.

PM Modi held “fruitful discussions” with his Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe and also held extensive meetings with Leader of Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa and discussed the need for close collaboration in the fields of counter- terrorism, security and economic development.

Modi arrived in Colombo from Maldives, where he held wide-ranging talks withPresident Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Saturday. — PTI

‘Sri Lanka will rise again’

“I am confident Sri Lanka will rise again. Cowardly acts of terror cannot defeat the spirit of Sri Lanka. India stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka.” —Narendra Modi, Prime Minister