Sri Lanka has rejected China's request to dock one of its submarines in Colombo this month, two senior government officials said on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in the island nation for a two-day visit.
Vesak Day is celebrated to mark the birth, enlightenment and passing away of Lord Buddha.
The almost one million ethnic Tamils in central Sri Lanka are descendents of indentured labour brought to work in coffee, rubber and tea plantations by British colonial rulers in the 19th century. Modi had visited Sri Lanka two years ago and had undertaken a trip to Jaffna in the north at that time.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets Sri Lankan Buddhist monks during the United Nations celebration of Vesak ceremony in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, May 12, 2017.
Stating that the friendship between India and Sri Lanka was etched in time by Lord Buddha, he said that "Buddhism imparts an ever present radiance to our relationship".
He also addressed a public rally attended by Indian-origin Tamil tea plantation workers in Dickoya. The prime minister said, India and Sri Lanka will work together to uphold ideals of peace taught by Buddha and strive for peace in the region and beyond. He announced that under the Indian housing project in Sri Lanka, India would construct an additional 10,000 houses under the Indian housing project in Sri Lanka to the 4000 houses being constructed in up country areas.
To read this article in one of Houston's most-spoken languages, click on the button below. Thousands more reportedly did not make it to the venue as the narrow roads on the hills, newly carpeted, were clogged hours ahead of the meeting in which President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also participated.
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Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is finalising a plan to lease 80 percent of its loss-making Hambantota port to China for 99 years, but the deal has been delayed because of opposition from trade unions.
In fact, Beijing's grip over Sri Lanka loosened when Rajapaksa lost his bid for a third term in 2015.
Speaking about his origins, PM Modi said he hails from the land of Gujarat from where Mahatma Gandhi also came.
By taking the names of Muralitharan and MGR, Modi tried to bridge the physical gap that divide the Tamil population in Sri Lanka and India.
On Friday, Modi also visited the Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Modi was scheduled to return to India on Friday night.
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