Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched more than 20 attacks on merchant ships in recent weeks, claiming to take revenge against Israel for military campaign against Palestinian terror group Hamas in Gaza
He said in order for the island nation to prevent another bankruptcy, hard reforms are a must
Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was moved to the Environment Ministry following weeks of public dissatisfaction with his handling of the ministry
He stressed the need for dialogue and cooperation among nations to address these challenges and emphasised that the international community must work together
Ferry service is an important step in increasing the connectivity between India and Sri Lanka
The chief minister said that Wickremesinghe, seeing her at the airport lounge, called her to join for some discussion
During the visit, Wickremesinghe and Macron held friendly and productive bilateral discussions which lasted for an hour and fifteen minutes, the Sri Lankan President's office said
As many as 15 Tamil Nadu fishermen released by Sri Lanka arrived here on Thursday from Colombo, officials said
The 13th Amendment (13A) was brought in after the Indo-Sri Lankan agreement of 1987. It created 9 provinces as devolved units with a temporary merger of the Northern and Eastern provinces
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Wickremesinghe will hold wide-ranging talks on Friday covering all key aspects of relations between the two countries
Indian fishermen face highly restricted access to traditional fishing grounds, increased harassment by the Sri Lankan Navy and arrests on trespassing charges, he said
This will be Wickremesinghe's first visit to India after being appointed President of the cash-strapped country last year following the ouster of Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a people's uprising in July
The visit will reinforce the longstanding friendship between the two countries and explore avenues for enhanced connectivity and mutually beneficial cooperation across sectors
Kwatra arrived here on Monday night on a two-day official visit to take stock of several Indian projects and prepare the ground for Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe's trip to India next week
Wickremesinghe will embark on a two-day visit to India on July 21 during which he is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials here said on Sunday
The plan will now be referred to the public finance committee in Parliament ahead of Saturday's parliamentary session
Assuring that Sri Lanka will not be utilised as a base for any threats against India, Wickremesinghe emphasised that his nation is a neutral one
The official statement released after the meeting only mentioned that China will give maximum support to Sri Lanka to recover from the economic crisis
Sri Lanka President Wickremesinghe has instructed relevant govt departments to expedite the drafting of legislation necessary for the implementation of the Action Plan for Reconciliation
Debt-ridden Sri Lanka is still struggling to normalise its crisis-hit economy after it declared its first-ever debt default in April last year