EAM Jaishankar holds talks with Sri Lankan counterpart

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday held extensive talks with his visiting Sri Lankan counterpart GL Peiris, covering almost all facets of bilateral ties.

The talks came days after India extended a USD 500 million credit line to the island nation.

Peiris arrived in Delhi on Sunday on a three-day official visit.

''Very pleased to welcome FM G.L. Peiris of Sri Lanka. Looking forward to our talks this morning,'' Jaishankar tweeted.

India on Wednesday extended the credit line to Sri Lanka to help it purchase petroleum products.

Sri Lanka has been reeling under a severe foreign exchange and energy crisis.

India's assistance of USD 500 million (one million is equal to Rs 10 lakh) to Colombo came over two weeks after a virtual meeting between Jaishankar and Sri Lanka's Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa on January 15.

Last month, the island nation signed a deal with the Sri Lankan chapter of Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC), Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and the Joint Venture between LIOC and CPC to redevelop around 75 oil tanks in Trincomalee.

The deal is expected to assist Sri Lanka in the development of Trincomalee as an energy and transport hub to further bolster its energy security During Peiris's visit, India is also likely to convey to him the need for fulfilling the expectations of the Tamil people living in that country for equality within a united Sri Lanka.