BRICS Summit: PM Modi holds bilateral talks with Lankan Prez

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held bilateral talks with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS Summit here.

"Early morning bilaterals to begin a packed day of diplomacy. PM @narendramodi meets President @MaithripalaS of Sri Lanka for first engagement," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted along with a picture of the two leaders.

Prime Minister Modi earlier welcomed the Sri Lankan President on his arrival.

"A friend comes to India...glad to have President @MaithripalaS visit India for the BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit," he tweeted soon after Sirisena landed at Dabolim Airport.

Heads of states and governments of the five BRICS nations will meet later in the day on the second day of the BRICS Summit in Goa.

Global economic and political situation, terrorism, climate change, Sustainable Development Goals and increasing people to people contact form the agenda of the Summit.

India is likely to pitch for united fight against terrorism.

Goa Declaration and Goa Action Plan will be adopted at the end of the Summit, which will focus on intra BRICS Trade, finance and industrial cooperation as well as cooperation in education, health, agriculture, energy and disaster management.

Later this evening, Prime Minister Modi will chair the BIMSTEC meeting, which will be followed by the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach meeting. The seven-member BIMSTEC bloc consists of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.