Feasibility study on proposal to establish land connectivity with India in final stages, says Sri Lankan President

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Sunday that the feasibility study on a proposal to establish land connectivity with India is in its final stages.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Sunday that the feasibility study on a proposal to establish land connectivity with India is in its final stages.

Mr. Wickremesinghe, who was travelling in the northeastern district of Mannar to inspect the development work in the region, said that the preliminary work of the feasibility study was over and the final phase would be completed soon.

This proposal and the prospect of a power grid connection between the two nations are likely to be discussed during the visit of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Lanka this week.

Mr. Wickremesinghe said a commercial venture to sell the excess renewable energy to India would also be discussed during the minister's visit.

On Saturday, the Lankan foreign ministry here announced that Jaishankar would arrive in Colombo on June 20.

However, there was no official announcement on Jaishankar's visit from India's Ministry of External Affairs.

If confirmed, this could be Jaishankar's first official stand-alone visit abroad after he was appointed India's External Affairs Minister in the new government early this month.