New Delhi, July 21 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday described Sri Lanka as India’s trusted partner and said New Delhi would “in good times and bad, will always be the first responder to Sri Lanka's problems".
“India is happy to work with you for wiping tears from the past and ushering in a bright future,”
Mr Modi said and maintained that his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe is a personal friend too.
Both the leaders jointly inaugurated, via video link, the nationwide expansion of the National Emergency Ambulance Service in the island nation aided by India.
The project, agreed upon during Mr Modi’s first Sri Lanka visit in 2015, was launched a year later in the southern and western provinces in first under the Indian Grant Assistance.
The ceremony on Saturday marked second phase of expansion of the project from the northern
territories, once ravaged by civil war and insurgency unleashed by LTTE.
At a time when Chinese penetration into Indian Ocean and also its engagement with Sri Lanka has been a matter of concern, Mr Modi said - “The existence of all nations is closely linked to their neighbours. When I look at Sri Lanka I see not only a neighbour, but also a very special and trusted partner of India in South Asia and in the Indian Ocean family."
Indo-Sri Lanka observers have lately raised eyebrows over Chinese coming with infrastructure
projects in Sri Lanka including the Hambantota port.
India has given a grant of 22.8 million dollars - 7.6 million dollars in first phase and 15.2 million dollars
for the country-wide expansion.
The Lankan Prime Minister while signing MoU for the countrywide expansion stated that this is a good example of the Indian success story being transferred to Sri Lanka.
He thanked Mr Modi and the Indian Government for an efficient ambulance service saying saving any life is a success story. This is the largest Indian grant project in Sri Lanka after Indian housing project, sources said.
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