Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe arrived here Thursday on a three-day visit with an aim to boost ties in a range of areas including trade and investment and maritime security.
His visit comes in the backdrop of controversial media reports that Lankan President has accused Indian intelligence agency RAW of plotting his assassination, a claim firmly rejected as "false" by Colombo.
Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold wide-ranging talks on Saturday.
"You are aware of close friendship between India and Sri Lanka. Development cooperation will be one of the agenda items," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing.
He further said, "All shades of political opinion in Sri Lanka are for close relationship with India. We do enjoy very strong bonds of friendship."
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