India extends USD 15 million grant assistance to Sri Lanka for promoting Buddhist ties

New Delhi:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a grant assistance of 15 million dollars to Sri Lanka for the promotion of Buddhist ties between two countries.

Briefing the media here this afternoon, Joint Secretary (Indian Ocean Region) in the External Affairs Ministry Amit Narang said, “Testifying to the long-standing civilizational links and cultural heritage, Prime Minister Modi announced grant assistance of US$15 million for the promotion of Buddhist ties between the two countries. The grant will assist in deepening people-to-people linkages between the two countries in the sphere of Buddhism.”

PM Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa held the first-ever India-Sri Lanka Virtual Bilateral Summit today. They agreed that the Indian side would facilitate the visit of a delegation of Buddhist pilgrims from Sri Lanka in the first inaugural flight to Sacred City of Kushinagar.

Both leaders were unanimous that the ancient cultural links between India and Sri Lanka are special and must be nurtured further. Rajapaksa made a special mention of the Jaffna Cultural Centre which is an iconic project built with Indian assistance. The centre is almost ready and the Sri Lankan Prime Minister extended an invitation to PM Modi to inaugurate the project.