Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena in India: As it happened on Monday

New Delhi: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who is on a four-day visit to India, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Monday. Both addressed a joint press conference after bilateral talks. Here are the updates:

• This is my first official visit and it has given very fruitful results. Relations between our countries will strengthen. We have already signed agreements on several subjects: President Sirisena
• India and Sri Lanka have a relationship that can be traced back to thousands of years: President Sirisena
• As President of Sri Lanka, this is my first state visit & I selected India. There is a very strong relation between our Nations: President Sirisena
• Sri Lankan President Sirisena takes the stage now. 
• PM Modi ends his address with a "Thank You".
• I would like to once again welcome President Sirisena to India. We are at a moment of an unprecedented opportunity to take our bilateral relations to a new level. His visit today has set us firmly in that direction. 
• I thanked the President for his invitation to me to visit Sri Lanka. I am eagerly looking forward to visiting his beautiful country in March. 
  
• Like cricket, culture provides a strong bond between us. The Programme of Cultural Cooperation signed today will nurture those ties and promote contacts between people: PM Modi 
• President Sirisena and I attach highest importance to the fishermen issue and will address fishermen associations on both sides soon: PM Modi​
• We discussed expansion of cooperation in energy sector both conventional and renewable: PM Modi
• India-Sri Lanka Commerce Secretaries will meet soon to review our bilateral commercial relations: PM Modi
• We are pleased to be Sri Lanka's largest trading partner, I express my support for balanced trade in both directions: PM Modi
• ​The bilateral agreement on civil nuclear cooperation is yet another demonstration of our mutual trust. This is the first such agreement Sri Lanka has signed: PM Modi
• The timeless links of history, religion and culture provide a solid foundation of our partnership: PM Modi 
• We also share a broad range of interests - economic development for our countries; peace and prosperity in South Asia; maritime security in the region. We are honoured that you have chosen India as your first overseas destination: PM Modi
• It is a great pleasure and privilege to welcome President Maithripala Sirisena and Mrs. Sirisena to India: PM Modi 
• PM Narendra Modi starts speaking.

Previous story: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Monday held talks during which they discussed bilateral civil nuclear cooperation among other key strategic issues.

On his maiden foreign trip after assuming office, Sirisena, who arrived here yesterday on a four-day visit, also held comprehensive discussions with the Prime Minister on ways to enhance economic ties.

"India and Sri Lanka leaders discussed measures to enhance economic ties. The leaders discussed four agreements," Spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry Syed Akbaruddin said as President Sirisena and Prime Minister Modi met at Hyderabad House here.

The four pacts which were discussed include those on civil nuclear cooperation, culture and agriculture.

The issue of peace and reconciliation process in the island nation was discussed during the meeting spread over a working lunch, hosted by Modi.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the visiting dignitary.

According to presidential advisors in Colombo, 63-year -old Sirisena, who had dethroned Mahinda Rajapaksa from his 10-year rule after a bitter Presidential poll on January 9, was desirous of making a new beginning in the Indo-Lanka relations.

India has been hoping that the new Lankan government will develop the country on the "foundation of genuine and effective reconciliation" creating harmony among all sections there.

India has also been pressing for implementation of 13th amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution on devolution of powers.

(With PTI inputs)