Speaking on the occasion, Premier Wickremesinghe highlighted the historical and cultural ties between the two great nations.Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said that by 2030 India would be the third-largest economy in the world and that the South Asian - South East Asian region which includes some of the most dynamic economies in the world had the potential to be part of a vast global growth network.
In his address, Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu noted that the recent discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos revealed that the Global CEOs' confidence in India had gone up despite a dramatic dip in the world’s major economies.Singh said India was billed as the largest transformation of the 21st century and the world’s best were betting on India. India wanted Sri Lanka to be part of this story and urged Sri Lanka to utilise the huge opportunities that were arising from India’s dramatic economic growth.
The High Commissioner said India was committed to people-oriented developmental projects in Sri Lanka and had constructed 47,000 houses for the people of Sri Lanka and another 16,000 were in the pipeline. India had also completed 70 developmental grant projects in almost all sectors across the island.Nettipattam - a traditional elephant ornament representing peace and prosperity - was presented to Prime Minister Wickremesinghe by the SLIS. A new edition of Maithree magazine was also unveiled at the event.
SLIS which is the oldest and largest friendship society in Sri Lanka was founded in 1949, soon after the independence of India and Sri Lanka.Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was the chief guest and the Indian High Commissioner was the guest of honour. Prof. Maithree Wickremasinghe, Power, Energy and Business Development Minister Ravi Karunanayake, State Finance Minister Eran Wickramaratne, SLIS President T.S. Prakash, Parliamentarians and other dignitaries were also present.