Visiting Indian External Affairs Minister says ready to give COVID vaccine to SL

India is ready to give priority to Sri Lanka when supplying to other countries the vaccine now being produced
by India to treat COVID 19 virus, the External Affairs Minister of India Dr. S. Jaishankar told President
Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Arrived yesterday in the country for a two-day visit, the Indian Minister called on President Rajapaksa at the
Presidential Secretariat today (6).

Dr. Jaishankar agreed to give priority to Sri Lanka when his country begins exporting the vaccine to other
countries. Both President and the Indian Minister agreed to further enhance Indo – Sri Lanka bilateral relations
so as to maximize mutual benefits.

In addition to the ongoing projects carried out in Sri Lanka with the assistance of India, several other areas for
cooperation development were identified during the discussion. The East Container Terminal of the Colombo
Port, LNG power plant, construction of houses and roads, development of agriculture and research,
communication technology and development of alternative energy sources are of among them.

Both parties expressed views on the need to revive the tourism sector which was crippled in the wake of COVID
19 pandemic.

“The Maldives continues to attract tourists following the bio-bubble method. A large number of Indians have
already gone there. People like to travel in order to get rid of the stress caused by the pandemic. Hotels in New
Delhi are now brimming with Indians. We can encourage them to visit Sri Lanka”, Dr. Jaishankar said.

It was decided to hold a joint discussion between India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Nepal as soon as possible to
determine possible course of action for the revival of the tourism industry.

Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Gopal Bagley, Joint Secretaries to the External Affairs Ministry of India
Amit Narang and Dr. Shilpak Ambule, Secretary to the President P. B. Jayasundera, Principal Advisor to the
President Lalith Weeratunga and the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Ministry Admiral Jayanath Colombage
were also present during the discussion.