A passenger ferry service between India and Sri Lanka was launched on Saturday by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said the two countries are “embarking on a new chapter in diplomatic and economic relations.”
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, also speaking on the occasion, suggested the ferry services should be seen as part of New Delhi’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and “a generous and far-sighted approach to our proximate nations, with the focus on connectivity, cooperation, and contacts.”
Virtually flagging the ferry services between Nagapattinam in India and Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka via a video message, Modi said the ferry service brings alive all historical and cultural connections, reports Daily Sun.
"Connectivity is not only about bringing two cities closer. It also brings our countries closer, our people closer, and our hearts closer," he said.
Underscoring the shared history of culture, commerce, and civilization between India and Sri Lanka, Modi pointed out that Nagapattinam and nearby towns have been known for sea trade with many countries.
Jaishankar said the launch of the passenger ferry “is a truly big step for people-to-people contacts between India and Sri Lanka." But the occasion is more than just a ferry launch. It is an affirmation of the people-centric policies of the Modi government that have helped both those in Tamil Nadu (India’s Tamil Nadu state) and those in Sri Lanka's Northern Province (Jaffna).”
He said that in the future, India and Sri Lanka “are looking at grid connections, pipelines, and economic corridors.”
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
