Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his visit to Sri Lanka beginning today is a sign of a "strong relationship" between the two countries and brings to the fore the shared heritage of Buddhism. During his two-day visit, he will participate in the International Vesak Day celebrations, the biggest festival of Buddhists, inaugurate a hospital built with Indian assistance and address the Indian-origin Tamil community, besides attending some other programmes.


"This will be my second bilateral visit there in two years, a sign of our strong relationship," he said in a Facebook post, hours before travelling to Sri Lanka.


"During my visit, I will join the International Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo on 12th May, where I will interact with leading Buddhist spiritual leaders, scholars and theologians," Modi wrote.


He said it was an honour for him to join these celebrations with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. "My visit brings to the fore one of the most abiding links between India and Sri Lanka - the shared heritage of Buddhism," he said.


Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers prayers at the Mahabodhi tree in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka during his 2015 visit.