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Mahinda-Modi summit to be held on Saturday
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, September 21: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have a virtual summit with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday (September 26). This will be his first with any leader in the neighbourhood.
With this, India’s immediate neighbourhood is coming into focus again.
The summit could be right on the heels of Modi’s address to the UN General Assembly, which will be delivered virtually this year, during the UN’s high-level segment which begins this week.
At month-end, External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is expected to hold a meeting of the India-Bangladesh consultative mechanism to take forward the relationship, and a roadmap for two years, with a political leadership pushing the agenda.
Also on the cards are India-Myanmar foreign office consultations. Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla was supposed to travel to Yangon with Army Chief General Naravane, which had to be postponed due to the China crisis. That may be resumed.
India reached out to the Afghan government, standing by it as the intra-Afghan talks began last week. Sources said a series of high-level visits from Afghanistan is expected in the coming days.
Interestingly, there is no outreach planned with Nepal. The last time Nepal and India interacted at a high level was when Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli called Modi on Independence Day.
On Sunday, the Maldives received $250 million in budgetary support from India after a request by the Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to Modi for financial assistance to overcome the difficult economic situation as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Given on favourable and transparent terms, the assistance is without conditions, according to an official readout. The Maldives Government can use it for whatever they deem important.
Latest News
Heat index, is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern, Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala and Hambantota districts
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. 29 April 2025, valid for 30 April 2025
The general public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern, Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala and Hambantota districts
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will undertake a four-day state visit to Vietnam on 03 May, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said. Since the presidential election, President Dissanayake has so far visited India, China and the UAE.
The 5th annual Sri Lanka-Pakistan Bilateral Defence Dialogue commenced on Monday (April 28) in Islamabad, Pakistan, marking a continued commitment to strengthening defence cooperation between the two nations.
The MoD statement: “The Sri Lankan delegation is led by Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha accompanied by Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, and Additional Secretary (Defence) of the Ministry of Defence Jayantha Edirisinghe. The Pakistani delegation is headed by Lieutenant General (retd.) Muhammad Ali, Secretary Defence of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
In conjunction with the on-going defence dialogue, Defence Secretary Thuyacontha held a side-line meeting yesterday (April 29) with Defence Minister of Pakistan, Khawaja Muhammad Asif.
These high-level engagements aim to enhance bilateral cooperation, foster mutual understanding on regional security dynamics and explore opportunities for defence collaboration. Both nations share a longstanding relationship rooted in mutual respect and strategic cooperation. The dialogue reflects the growing importance of partnerships in maintaining stability and promoting peace in the South Asian region.
The three-day dialogue, which concludes today (April 30), is expected to reinforce bilateral defence ties and contribute to broader regional security objectives.
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Heat index, is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern, Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala and Hambantota districts
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