India, Sri lanka to hold virtual bilateral summit on September 26: MEA

File photo

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa will hold a bilateral summit on September 26.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the development saying that the talks will be held via video conference. 

The MEA in a statement said, "The virtual bilateral summit will give an opportunity to the two leaders to comprehensively review the broad framework of the bilateral relationship soon after the Parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka and in the context of the time-tested friendly ties between the two countries."

The meeting will be held two days after the SAARC foreign ministers’ forum on September 24 which will see the participation of the foreign ministers of the two countries. 

The two leaders are expected to deliberate on a host of issues which include deepening anti-terror cooperation, boosting overall defence and trade ties as well as implementation of India's development projects in Sri Lanka.

India has been pitching for fulfilling the aspirations of the Tamil community in the island nation.

Last month, Rajapaksa was sworn in as Sri Lankan prime minister for a fresh term after his party, Sri Lanka People's Front, secured a two-thirds majority in the parliamentary polls.