COLOMBO: Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha met Sri Lankan Minister KD Lalkantha and discussed opportunities for bilateral collaboration for the modernisation of agriculture in the island nation, according to an official statement.

Jha met Lalkantha, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, here on Monday, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said in a post on X.

"They discussed opportunities for India-Sri Lanka collaboration in agriculture modernisation in Sri Lanka, with an emphasis on raising productivity, technology and incomes for farmers," it said.

Sri Lanka has a central place in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and Security and growth for all in the region (S.A.G.A.R) vision, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

India has extended overall assistance amounting to USD 5 billion through concessional loans/swap agreements and USD 600 million as grants to Sri Lanka under its development cooperation.

These development projects extend to all 25 districts of Sri Lanka and cut across several sectors including infrastructure, housing, health, livelihood and rehabilitation, education and industrial development, according to the MEA.