Indian VP Radhakrishnan arrives in Sri Lanka for official visit

Indian Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan arrived in Colombo on Sunday for a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka, marking the first bilateral trip by an Indian vice president to the island nation. The visit, which began on April 19, aims to bolster longstanding ties between the two countries through high-level meetings and community engagements.

Radhakrishnan, accompanied by a 49-member delegation, was received at Bandaranaike International Airport by Sri Lankan Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage and other officials. He held discussions with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on deepening multifaceted relations, emphasizing India's Neighbourhood First policy and developmental cooperation. The talks covered key initiatives, including the Indian housing project for Tamil communities and a $450 million aid package for reconstruction following Cyclone Ditwah, which severely impacted regions home to Indian-origin Tamils. Officials highlighted efforts to rehabilitate affected areas, with the aid supporting housing, infrastructure, and community recovery.

The two leaders also addressed the longstanding fishermen issue in the Palk Strait, a resource-rich waterway separating India's...