Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is a seasoned politician in Sri Lanka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday and congratulated him on having completed 50 years since his first entering the Parliament of the island country.

Prime Minister Modi recalled Rajapaska’s contributions to the development of Sri Lanka in his long political career, and wished him all the best for his future.

He also conveyed his condolences at the sudden and untimely demise of Arumugan Thondaman, a prominent leader of the Indian-Origin Tamils in Sri Lanka on Tuesday. Prime Minister Modi recalled the role that Thondaman had played in taking forward the development partnership between India and Sri Lanka.

The leaders discussed the health and economic impact of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and the measures being taken in the two countries to counter them. The Prime Minister assured Rajapaksa that India stands ready to extend all possible support to Sri Lanka during this challenging time.