Sri Lanka accords PM Modi with highest civilian award Mitra Vibushana
PTC News Desk: Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake honoured Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the highest award to a foreign head of state, Mitra Vibhushana. Dissanayake said that PM Modi highly deserves this honour.
In a joint press statement alongside PM Modi, Dissanayake said, "I am pleased to announce that the Government of Sri Lanka has decided to confer upon him (PM Narendra Modi) the highest Sri Lankan honour to a foreign head of state/head of government- Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana. This prestigious honour, which was introduced in 2008, is conferred upon heads of states and government for their friendship, and honourable Prime Minister Modi highly deserves this honour; that is what we firmly believe."
Sri Lankan President made the announcement after the two leaders held a bilateral meeting and delegation-level talks in Colombo on Saturday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and other officials attended the meeting.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi was accorded a historic ceremonial welcome at Independence Square in Colombo. It is the first time that Sri Lanka has honoured a visiting leader in this manner.
PM Modi is on a State visit to Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6 at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Disanayaka. His arrival in Colombo on Friday marked his first visit to Sri Lanka since 2019.
- ANI
