Colombo: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Tuesday arrived here to participate in the pivotal 23rd Council of Ministers Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Wednesday during which India would take over the role of Vice-Chair of the regional forum.
He was received at the airport by Suren Raghavan, the state minister of higher education.
“Glad to be back in Colombo. Thank Dr. Suren Raghavan, State Minister for Higher Education for welcoming me,” Jaishankar posted on X.
The minister, who will attend the IORA Council of Ministers meeting here Wednesday, said that the India-Sri Lanka “relationship continues to progress”.
Jaishankar last visited Colombo in January during which he held talks with Lanka’s top leadership and discussed the entire gamut of close bilateral partnership and steps to strengthen it in all spheres.
India will assume the Vice-Chair role of IORA for 2023-25 at this crucial meeting, leading to Chairship in 2025-27.
“The Council of Ministers Meeting (COM) will review IORA’s recent activities and outline future cooperation,” said a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Council of Ministers is the highest decision-making body of IORA, the largest and pre-eminent organisation in the Indian Ocean Region with 23 members and 10 dialogue partners.
Sri Lanka will assume the chairmanship of IORA for the period 2023 to 2025 at this meeting.
Jaishankar is among the 16 ministers to attend the October 11 meeting which will also include the foreign ministers of Bangladesh, Iran, Mauritius, Malaysia, and South Africa.
“The ministers will deliberate on ways to cooperate on the six priority areas, including trade and investment; maritime safety and security; fisheries management; disaster risk management; and blue economy,” the MEA statement said.
Besides IORA engagements, Jaishankar will have bilateral meetings in Colombo, it added.
PTI
