Sri Lanka and India have had a strong connection since their liberation from British colonial domination in the modern period. Nonetheless, these two countries have had historical ties for almost three thousand years, dating back to the time of Lord Buddha.
Buddhism was the most significant gift from India to Sri Lanka during the reign of Emperor Asoka and the beneficent rule of King Devanampiyatissa.
Both of these countries share Buddhist cultural ideals, which have generated an unsurpassed civilisation in global history.
Sri Lanka was not long after India in gaining independence from the British Raj in 1947. It gained dominion status in 1948 and created a government led by D.S. Senanayake.
Aside from that, Pandit Jawaharlal Lal Nehru was India’s first prime minister at the same time. Given that both India and Sri Lanka are celebrating 75 years of independence at the same time, it seems relevant to examine the many elements of the relationship.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe recently spoke at the India-Sri Lanka Society on the various sorts of diplomatic ties the two countries have had in the past and how they have affected each other for the better.
He emphasized democracy and trade as two modern features that unite the two countries. Furthermore, he stated that initiatives will be done to revitalize and improve the Indo-Lanka Free Commercial Agreement (ILFTA) in order to strengthen trade links between the two nations. The President did not neglect to thank Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s Rs. 2 billion contribution, which would be utilized to develop new avenues for Buddhist ties between the two countries.
He also mentioned the forthcoming 75th anniversary of Indo-Lanka diplomatic ties as two sovereign countries, and expressed plans to commemorate the milestone.
At the handover ceremony of the Indian Dornier aircraft at the Sri Lanka Air Force base in Katunayake during the latter part of last year, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that since the Commander of the Air Force and the High Commissioner have dealt at length with the aircraft, I thought I should say a few words about the special occasion today, the 75th Anniversary of Indian Independence.