PM Modi, Congress President Kharge extend best wishes to Sri Lanka newly elected President Dissanayake

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Anura Kumara Dissanayake for his victory in the Sri Lankan Presidential elections and said he looks forward to working closely with him to further strengthen the India-Sri Lanka ties.

“Congratulations @anuradisanayake, on your victory in the Sri Lankan Presidential elections. Sri Lanka holds a special place in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision SAGAR. I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our multifaceted cooperation for the benefit of our people and the entire region,” Prime Minister Modi said in a post on social media platform X late Sunday.

Earlier, India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha called on Dissanayake and conveyed greetings from India’s leadership. “HC @santjha called on Sri Lanka’s President-elect @anuradisanayake. Conveyed greetings from India’s leadership and congratulated him on winning the people’s mandate. India as Sri Lanka’s civilisational twin is committed to further deepen ties for the prosperity of the people of our two countries,” the High Commission of India in Colombo said in a post on X.

Congress Party President Mallikarjun Kharge also extended best wishes to the newly appointed President. In a post on X , he said, “On the behalf of the Indian National Congress, I extend my heartiest congratulations to Anura Kumara Dissanayake on being elected the Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. India and Sri Lanka have a rich legacy of multifaceted cooperation and interaction, which dates back centuries. The people of India look forward to strengthening our ties and shared values for the benefit of our region. ”

Sri Lanka’s Marxist-leaning leader Dissanayake of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party will be sworn in as the country’s ninth – also, the first Leftist – President on Monday, following his triumph in the island nation’s first presidential election since its worst-ever economic crisis. The result was decided Sunday evening after Sri Lanka’s first-ever presidential run-off with the counting of second preference votes following both Dissanayake and Samagi Jana Sandhanaya candidate Sajith Premadasa failing to get the required percentage of votes.