India, Lanka have deep, abiding relationship: Sirisena

Appreciating President Pranab Mukherjee's congratulatory message sent on his election as President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena Monday said the two countries enjoyed a "deep and abiding relationship" that could be taken to "greater heights".

The Sri Lankan president, who is scheduled to visit India Feb 15-18 at the invitation of Mukherjee, responding to his message said, "I deeply appreciate your message of felicitation on my election as the President of Sri Lanka".

"I share very much your desire to further strengthen the excellent bilateral relations and look forward to earnestly work together to elevate our engagement to greater heights for the mutual benefit of our peoples," Sirisena said in the message.

"India and Sri Lanka enjoy a deep and abiding relationship founded on ancient civilisational and cultural links, shared histories, close centuries-old people-to-people contact, complemented substantially by shared values of pluralism and democracy," the Lankan president said.