India’s high commissioner organises an Iftar supper in Colombo

COLOMBO: India’s high commissioner in Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay, said while holding an Iftar meal in Colombo on Friday that India will continue to offer her hand of friendship to Sri Lanka in the days ahead, just as “our ancestors in the past.” Finance Minister Ali Sabry, who remained in the Cabinet three days after resigning, as well as clerics and religious academics, were in attendance.

On the occasion, the Indian high commissioner spoke about India-Sri Lanka relations, saying, “The relationship between India and Sri Lanka is very special.”

“India and Sri Lanka’s relationship in the present day is the confluence of three streams – ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ Neighborhood First and SAGAR doctrine,” the high commissioner said.

The SAGAR philosophy spans political, security, economic, and socio-cultural domains, with the goal of promoting the Indian Ocean region and the larger Indo-Pacific as a place of peace and prosperity.

“We continue to give priority to foster people-to-people relations between India and Sri Lanka” the high commissioner added, claiming that India and Sri Lanka are civilisational twins.