VP Radhakrishnan in Sri Lanka to boost bilateral ties

Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Sunday reached Colombo on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka, marking the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian Vice President to the island nation. He was accorded a warm welcome upon arrival, underscoring the significance of the visit in the context of deepening diplomatic and cultural ties between the two countries.The visit, scheduled from April 19 to 20, is aimed at further strengthening the millennia-old civilisational links and robust people-to-people connections shared between India and Sri Lanka. It also represents Vice President Radhakrishnan’s first bilateral engagement with the neighbouring country since assuming office.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Vice President’s itinerary includes high-level meetings with Sri Lanka’s top leadership, including President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, and the Leader of the Opposition. He is also expected to engage with representatives of Sri Lankan Tamil and Indian-origin Tamil political groups.In a statement shared on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted the “rich agenda” ahead, which includes interactions with the Indian community in Sri Lanka.

Vice President of India Shri. C. P. Radhakrishnan @VPIndia arrived in Colombo as part of a two-day visit to Sri Lanka. This is the first official bilateral visit by an Indian Vice President to Sri Lanka.

The visit will strengthen the civilisational ties between ???????? and ???????? and… pic.twitter.com/syYYPeJkjh

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 19, 2026

A key highlight of the visit will be the Vice President’s trip to Nuwara Eliya, where a large section of the Indian-origin Tamil community resides. During his visit, he will engage directly with community members and review progress under India-supported housing initiatives. Under Phase III of the housing project, around 4,000 houses have already been completed, while construction of an additional 10,000 units is currently underway.He is also scheduled to visit the Seetha Amman Temple, a site of cultural and religious significance, and interact with Indian-origin Tamil families in the region.
Welcoming the visit, Santosh Menon described it as a “significant and important moment” in bilateral relations, noting that ties between India and Sri Lanka have reached a strong phase in recent years.

#WATCH | Colombo | On Vice President CP Radhakrishnan's visit to Sri Lanka, President of the Lanka India Business Association, Santosh Menon says, "I consider this a significant and important moment in the history of the relationship between the two countries. As you know, in the… pic.twitter.com/GgpGZp8VCc

— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2026

Echoing similar sentiments, Kishore Reddy said the visit would further bolster people-to-people, business, and economic linkages between the two nations. He also acknowledged India’s consistent support to Sri Lanka during times of crisis, including recent natural disasters and economic challenges.The Ministry of External Affairs has described Sri Lanka as a key partner under India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and Vision MAHASAGAR framework, emphasizing that the Vice President’s visit is expected to reinforce centuries-old civilisational bonds and expand cooperation across sectors.