Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will undertake an official visit to India on December 15 following an invitation from the Indian government.

This was confirmed by the Cabinet spokesman, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa during the Cabinet press conference held on November 26.

This will be Dissanayake’s inaugural foreign trip since assuming the presidency.

Dr. Jayatissa further stated that the President will be in India until December 17, and will call on India’s President, Prime Minister and several other dignitaries. 

The Head of the State will be accompanied by the Foreign Minister and the Deputy Minister of Finance for the visit, the Cabinet Spokesman added.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath had previously stated that Dissanayake will call on India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who became the first foreign dignitary to call on Dissanayake when he was elected President in September and had extended the invitation. 

Jaishankar visited Sri Lanka in October after the National People’s Power (NPP) government led by Dissanayake came to power on September 23.

During his visit to Colombo, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar paid courtesy calls on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. On behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister Jaishankar had extended an invitation to President Dissanayake to undertake a visit to India at a mutually convenient date.