The Indian High Commission in Colombo announced on Tuesday (7 January) that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Sri Lanka within this year. The exact dates for the visit are yet to be determined.

“We are in the process of working out a propitious timing for the visit,” Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha stated during a media briefing.

The invitation was extended by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during his visit to New Delhi in mid-December. Dissanayake, who assumed office in September, chose India as his first foreign destination after becoming president.

Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar was the first foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka following Dissanayake’s election.

Prime Minister Modi has previously visited Sri Lanka twice, between 2015 and 2017.