New Delhi: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today embarked on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka during which he will participate in the International Vesak Day celebrations, the biggest festival of Buddhists, and address the Indian- origin Tamil community.

Shri Modi will attend the biggest Buddhist festival Vesak Day as chief guest. Vesak is the most important occasion in the Buddhist calendar. it marks the commemoration of Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing away. 400 delegates from over 100 nations are going to participate an International Buddist Conference on the sidelines of Vesak Day event during May 12 – 14.

Joint Secretary (Indian Ocean Region) in the external affairs ministry, Sanjay Pandya in his briefing said formal talks are nor scheduled during this visit but PM Modi will hold interaction with Sri Lankan leaders and review the relationship in its entirety.

PM Modi is also scheduled to visit Kandy which produces Ceylon Tea.

PM’s on his upcoming visit to Sri Lanka

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will be visiting Sri Lanka on 11th and 12th May, 2017.

In a post from his Facebook account the Prime Minister said:

“I will be in Sri Lanka for a two-day visit starting today, 11th May. This will be my second bilateral visit there in two years, a sign of our strong relationship.

During my visit, I will join the International Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo on 12th May, where I will interact with leading Buddhist spiritual leaders, scholars and theologians. It is my honour to join these celebrations with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

My visit brings to the fore one of the most abiding links between India and Sri Lanka- the shared heritage of Buddhism.

During my last visit in 2015, I had the opportunity to visit Anuradhapura, a UNESCO world heritage site and a leading centre of Buddhism for centuries. This time, I will be privileged to pay respect at the revered Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, also known as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

My visit will commence in Colombo with a visit to the Seema Malaka at the Gangaramayya temple where I will take part in the traditional lamp lighting ceremony.

I will be meeting with President Sirisena, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and other eminent dignitaries.

I will also visit the up country region of Sri Lanka where I will inaugurate the Dickoya Hospital that has been built with Indian assistance, and have an interaction with the Indian-origin Tamil community.

I will be sharing more from Sri Lanka on social media. You can watch all my programmes in Sri Lanka live on the ‘Narendra Modi Mobile App.’”

With input from PIB