Gopal Baglay

Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay has called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and discussed wide-ranging bilateral issues, including investments, shared heritage and capacity building in the crisis-hit island nation. India has been the biggest provider of aid this year to its southern neighbour, which is fighting its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades and struggling to pay for imports. The Indian High Commission last week held the first round of talks with the Sri Lankan Government on restructuring the bilateral official debt of the island nation. The discussions symbolise India's support to early conclusion and approval of a suitable IMF Programme for Sri Lanka, for which financing assurances from creditors to make Sri Lanka's debt sustainable are required, it had said in a statement after the talks. "High Commissioner called on H.E PM @DCRGunawardena. Discussed broad ranging bilateral issues of common interest including investments, shared herit

India on Monday handed over 21,000 tonnes of fertiliser to Sri Lanka under a special support programme which will help farmers in this country and help bolster bilateral cooperation for food security, the second such assistance in recent months to the crisis-hit island nation. "Adding to the fragrance of friendship and cooperation. High Commissioner (Gopal Baglay) formally handed over 21,000 tonnes of fertiliser supplied under India's special support to the people of Sri Lanka," the Indian High Commission said in a tweet. This follows 44,000 tonnes supplied last month under Indian support totalling about USD 4bn in 2022," it said. "The fertiliser will contribute to food security and support the farmers of Sri Lanka. It demonstrates benefits to the people from close ties with #India and mutual trust and goodwill between #India and #lanka," the mission tweeted. In May, India assured Sri Lanka to immediately supply 65,000 metric tonnes of urea to avoid any disruption to the current Y

As Sri Lanka grapples with a massive economic crisis, India handed over a large amount of humanitarian assistance consignment worth over Rs 2 billion to the island country which reached Colombo on Sunday.The High Commissioner of India in Colombo, Gopal Baglay handed over the consignment to the senior leadership of the Government of Sri Lanka, reported Colombo Page. The consignment comprises 9,000 metric tons of rice, and 50 metric tons of milk powder, coupled with over 25 metric tons of drugs and other pharmaceutical supplies.Talking to Twitter, the Indian High Commission to Colombo said, "A message of care! From the people of to the people of ...High Commissioner handed over rice, milk powder & medicines worth more than SLR 2 billion to Hon'ble FM Prof.G.L Peiris in #Colombo today. Hon'ble Minister @nimaldsilva, @VajiraAbey, @SagalaRatnayaka, @S_Thondaman."Earlier, the Indian High Commission also tweeted: "People of #India, standing by their bretheren in #SriLanka. Rice, milk ...

Wickremesinghe, 73, was sworn-in as Sri Lanka's 26th prime minister on Thursday to stabilise the country's debt-ridden economy and end the political turmoil

Sri Lanka is facing one of its worst economic crises resulting in widespread protests against the Rajapaksa family leaders, including President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM Mahinda Rajapaksa

He was the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson

Baglay earlier worked as press counsellor at the Kathmandu embassy