01-15 JULY, 2019 I KAMAL SANDESH I 33pm VIsIts maLdIVes & srI Lanka
M Narendra Modi was conferred with
Maldives’ highest honour accorded to foreign
dignitaries, “The Most Honourable Order of
the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddeen”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked his two
days foreign visit in neighborhood. In the first leg
he reached Maldives on June 8. During the visit he
addressed the Maldivian Parliament. He also met
President Ibrahim Solih, following which a number
of agreements were signed including budgetary
support by India for development projects in
Maldives. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the
Maldivian President jointly inaugurated two defence
projects - a coastal surveillance radar system and
composite training centre for the Maldives National
Defence Forces or MNDF. PM Narendra Modi was
conferred with Maldives’ highest honour accorded to
foreign dignitaries, “The Most Honourable Order of
the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddeen”.rime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited Sri
Lanka on June 9. It was his first foreign trip after
re-election and paid homage to those died at St
Anthony’s Church Easter Sunday attack. Before reaching
Sri Lanka he visited Maldives on June 8.
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
welcomed Shri Modi at the Bandaranaike International
Airport. Media wrote that the prime minister’s visit to St
Anthony’s Shrine was not only a mark of solidarity but
also an attempt to pacify the nervousness witnessed
in Sri Lanka. Shri Modi’s visit was also aimed at aiming
diplomatic ties in order to curb terrorism. Shri Modi paid
tributes to the victims of the deadly terror strikes at the
church and said the “cowardly acts of terror cannot defeat
the spirit of Sri Lanka“.
“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,” said Shri Modi.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Sri Lanka’s
top leadership including President Maithripala Sirisena
and the two sides agreed that terrorism is a “joint threat”
that needs collective and focussed action, weeks after the
island nation witnessed the worst jihadi attack.
Shri Modi was 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.
“President Sirisena and I agreed that terrorism is
a joint threat that needs collective and focussed action.
Reiterated India’s commitment to partner with Sri Lanka
for a shared, secure and prosperous future,” Shri Modi
tweeted after his talks with President Sirisena.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar
said that the two leaders discussed bilateral issues of
mutual interest. A banquet was hosted in honour of Prime
Minister Shri Modi by President Sirisena.