Sri Lanka looks forward to elevating its engagement with India and taking it to "greater heights" for mutual benefit of the peoples, President Maithripala Sirisena said.

"I share very much your desire to further strengthen the excellent bilateral relations and look forward to earnestly work together to elevate our engagement to greater heights for the mutual benefit of our peoples," he said in response to President Pranab Mukherjee's message of congratulations on his election as new President of that country.

Sirisena is scheduled to visit India on a three day official visit from February 15 to 18 at the invitation of Mukherjee. It will be his first foreign tour as President.

"I deeply appreciate your message of felicitation on my election as the President of Sri Lanka." Sirisena said in his message to Mukherjee.

"India and Sri Lanka enjoy a deep and abiding relationship founded on ancient civilisational and cultural links, shared histories, close centuries-old people-to-people contact, complemented substantially by shared values of pluralism and democracy," Sirisena said, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan release.

He also wished prosperity for the friendly people of India.
(with inputs from PTI)