Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga will be in India in the first week of November as New Delhi begins preparing to engage a host of leaders from virtually every important country in its neighbourhood. It’s learnt that Kumaratunga, who will be making her first trip after the UPA Government assumed office, is expected to be here on November 3 for a three-day bilateral visit. Details, sources said, are being worked out. Discussions are also on to slot a visit by Nepal King Gyanendra Singh around the same time. The groundwork for a comprehensive review of important subjects is already underway with senior military officials of both countries meeting at Ranikhet from October 11 to 14 to discuss security and border-management issues. Towards the end of November, sources said, New Delhi expects to host Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz who plans to be here as the outgoing SAARC chairperson. Preceding these visits will be that of Myanmar’s head of state Than Shwe who will make his first official trip to India on October 25. Among others, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Morshed Khan is also expected to be in New Delhi in the next couple of weeks. And later, Bhutan King Jigme Singye Wangchuk would be here as chief guest for the Republic Day. While security issues are of critical importance, sources said, India will be looking at instensifying economic ties with neighbouring countries. And in that context, Kumaratunga’s visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to discuss steps for taking further the free trade agreement, which has proved to be a model of sorts in the region. Since India and Sri Lanka signed the FTA three years ago, bilateral trade has touched a billion dollar mark with Sri Lankan exports jumping by 136 per cent. It may be recalled that Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, during his visit in July, had asked India to increase the credit line to $150 million from the current $100 million for purchase of capital goods, consumer goods, consultancy and food items from India. But crucial to the Sri Lankan government would be the signing of the Defence Cooperation Agreement and discussions are on. It is understood that a delegation led by a senior Defence Ministry official will leave for Sri Lanka next week to discuss these issues. This would include deliberations on Indian assistance to reconstruct the Palaly airfield in Jaffna. While the final shape of the agreement is still to emerge, Colombo is said to have already fowarded a list of hardware items which it wants to procure from India. This includes off-shore patrol vessels, to be manufactured at Goa Shipyard, Chetak Helicopters, air defence artillery, rocket launchers, artillery shells, 7.62 mm ammunition, TATA trucks and buses, and jeeps. India will also seek to address Sri Lanka’s concerns over the Sethusamudram project at the highest level. New Delhi has been exchanging information on the project with Colombo. It may be noted that Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash was also in Sri Lanka last month.
