Modi to hold virtual bilateral summit with Sri Lankan PM on September 26

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa will hold a virtual bilateral summit on September 26, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.

The ministry said the summit will give an opportunity to the two leaders to comprehensively review the broad framework of the bilateral relationship.

The two leaders are expected to deliberate on a host of issues like ways to further deepen anti-terror cooperation, boost overall defence and trade ties as well as implementation of India's development projects in Sri Lanka.

The long-pending Tamil issue in Sri Lanka is also likely to figure in the talks.

India has been pitching for fulfilling the aspirations of the Tamil community in the island nation.

"The virtual bilateral summit will give an opportunity to the two leaders to comprehensively review the broad framework of the bilateral relationship soon after the Parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka and in the context of the time-tested friendly ties between the two countries," the MEA said in a statement.

Last month, Rajapaksa was sworn in as Sri Lankan prime minister for a fresh term after his party, Sri Lanka People's Front, secured a two-thirds majority in the parliamentary polls.