BIMSTEC Summit: Sri Lankan Minister Balasuriya calls PM Modi "charming, very visionary man"

New Delhi [India], July 12 (ANI): State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka Tharaka Balasuriya called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "charming" and a "very visionary man", and said that he agrees with PM Modi's assessment that if there's more connectivity between not just Sri Lanka and India, but also Myanmar and Thailand, there will be more opportunities.

Tharaka Balasuriya arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Foreign Minister's Retreat.

He emphasised that the BIMSTEC Foreign Minister's Retreat was very well organized.

"Since it was a very informal setting, we were able to share our ideas candidly and openly," she told ANI.

Talking about his experience of meeting with PM Modi, Balasuriya said, "I think this is the first time I met the Prime Minister, and he's a completely charming man. And he's also a very visionary man. One thing that struck me was when he stated that what he feels is that whereas the European Union succeeded in, let's say, South Asia and Southeast Asia, where we lag behind is mainly because of connectivity. So in that regard, we need to concentrate on connectivity."

He added, "I do agree with the Prime Minister's assessment that if there's more connectivity between the – not just between Sri Lanka and India, but also between India and Myanmar and Thailand, there will be more opportunities for businesses to flow in this part of the world that connects countries around the Bay of Bengal to promote economic growth and trade."

Answering how Sri Lanka is approaching its participation in regard to energy, cooperation, trade, transportation, and others, he highlighted that they have put them under three verticals, namely, energy security, food security, and people's security.

"Whatever the other areas which we spoke of are being taken under these verticals. So, for example, let's say people-to-people connectivity. Now, India is coming forward with an e-visa application for medical tourism. So anybody in the BIMSTEC areas can apply for e-visa for medical tourism," he told ANI. 

He mentioned that they also spoke about space and BIMSTEC satellites and nanosatellites, which India has worked with in Nepal in this regard.

When asked about whether Sri Lanka requires more attention in terms of growing tourism, trade, businesses, exports, and imports in the country, Balasuriya said, "Of course. So that's why we are looking at more connectivity with India. If you look at the one thing Prime Minister Modi commented today if we generate enough wind power alone in the northeast and the northwest of Sri Lanka, that alone will give us new revenue streams." (ANI)