Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s upcoming visit to New Delhi is expected to be “a point of positive transformation” in the relations between the two countries, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said on Tuesday (July 11).

His remarks came after the bilateral talks held with his Sri Lankan counterpart Aruni Wijewardane, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry and President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Indian foreign secretary is in Colombo for a two-day official visit aimed at laying the groundwork for Wickremesinghe’s upcoming trip to New Delhi on July 21. This will be the president’s first official visit to India after taking office last year.

Kwatra told the media that his discussions with the Sri Lankan leadership and with the Foreign Ministry were essentially focused on trying to ensure that the upcoming visit of the Sri Lankan president would be “a point of positive transformation” in the bilateral relations.

The two sides have also discussed the key areas of partnership that India and Sri Lanka could progress ahead of the visit.

According to the Indian foreign secretary, the focus of the discussions also fell on the strength of the ties between the two countries, different elements of cooperation in the relationship, and the “entire matrix of economic partnership” that India and Sri Lanka enjoy.

Kwatra called the Sri Lankan president a very strong supporter of India’s ties with the island nation. “We have worked and cooperated very well in the last 14-16 months of various challenges that Sri Lanka went through and I can assure that a very warm welcome awaits him in India.”

He said India eagerly looks forward to the Sri Lankan president’s visit to New Deli and make it a success.