Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon arrived here Monday for talks with Sri Lankan leaders on ways to devolve power to the former war-torn north.
Menon's visit comes after Sri Lankan Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, President Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother, last week flew to New Delhi to meet with top officials including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to explain plans on power devolution to the Tamil minority.
The move comes after Manmohan Singh expressed "dismay" over Colombo's plans to roll back the 13th amendment to its constitution, made with Indian backing in 1987, on devolving power to provinces.
India has strenuously maintained that the India-Sri Lanka agreement of 1987 is an international treaty and that Colombo cannot break it without consent from New Delhi.
Menon, who was previously India's top diplomat in Colombo, is also here to discuss a trilateral maritime security treaty among India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
A Sri Lankan official said Menon is expected to meet President Rajapaksa.
Last week, the president officially ordered the Elections Commission to prepare for provincial council elections in the north for the first time since a brutal three decade war ended in 2009.