During the “Naam 200 Commemoration” event, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reaffirmed India’s unwavering support for the Indian-origin Tamil community in Sri Lanka. She highlighted the community’s remarkable resilience and commitment. As a part of this commitment, the Finance Minister, along with Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe, unveiled the Thondaman Vocational Training Centre, which was upgraded with Indian assistance and provided school supplies for 10,000 children in plantation areas.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also addressed the India-Sri Lanka business summit and emphasised the need for greater efforts to develop the energy sector. She held discussions with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe about India-Sri Lanka joint initiatives in the economic and commercial sphere. Their talks included the “Vision document on Economic Partnership” adopted during Wickremesinghe’s visit to India, which aims to enhance maritime, air, digital, energy, and people-to-people connectivity. Wickremesinghe highlighted Sri Lanka’s vision to build a new market economy and welcomed collaboration with India in areas such as tourism, sustainability, agricultural modernization, and digitization.
Watch Live: Smt @nsitharaman participates in #NAAM200 – the #200th Anniversary Celebrations of the arrival of Indian Origin Tamils (IOT) to Sri Lanka at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo. @PIB_India @FinMinIndia @MIB_India @IndiainSL https://t.co/6vJk5uCc0C
— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) November 2, 2023
Political Leaders’ Absence at the Event
Surprisingly, despite the significance of the “Naam 200 Commemoration” event, several prominent political leaders from Tamil Nadu were notably absent. Leaders from political parties like MDMK, Vaiko, Naam Tamizhar Katchi, Seeman, VCK, Thirumavalavan, DMK, AIADMK, left parties, and other fringe groups did not receive invitations or chose not to attend the event. This absence raises questions about their commitment to the Sri Lankan Tamil community.
Annamalai’s Keynote Address and Commitment
Annamalai, the Tamil Nadu BJP Chief, played a significant role during the event. His elaborate keynote address received a standing ovation from the participants. On his social media platform, Annamalai expressed his gratitude for being part of this historic event and highlighted the welfare schemes implemented by the Government of India for the Malayaga Tamil community. He also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s support, including the inauguration of a hospital and the construction of houses for the community.
It was delightful to participate in the “Naam 200” event held in Colombo today to commemorate 200 years of the arrival of the Indian-origin community to Sri Lanka.
Speaking to the Malayaga Tamil brothers & sisters today, had the opportunity to go down memory lane on the… pic.twitter.com/dcJUxuofV9
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) November 2, 2023
India-Sri Lanka MoU on Solar Electrification
In addition to the event, India and Sri Lanka entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on solar electrification of religious places in Sri Lanka. India will allocate 82.40 crore rupees as part of the Indian grant assistance of 107.47 crore rupees earmarked for the promotion of Buddhist ties between the two nations.
This event and the subsequent discussions signify the importance of strengthening ties between India and Sri Lanka, as well as the continued support for the Indian-origin Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
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