13 December 2017 07:44 pm
In an interview with the New Indian Express, the Minister has said that India will always remain Sri Lanka’s closest neighbour and friend.
“You must understand the economic dynamics and we need economic support from all nations to move forward. However, Sri Lanka will not sacrifice regional interests for economic gains,” he said reminding Sri Lanka’s bond with India has withstood the test of time.
The Minister, who was is Thiruvananthapuram, observed that the steady increase in the number of tourists from India to Sri Lanka is the biggest indicator of the special relationship between the two.
“Colombo is like a weekend home or home away from home for many Indians. For those in the South it is less than an hour away,” he said.
The minister was on a three-day tour of Kerala to learn the role of women in local administration. Sri Lanka is in the process of ensuring 25 percent participation of women in local governance.
Minister Musthapha said his country has a lot to learn from India, since in spite of so many ethnicities, languages and religions, the nation still identifies itself as India.