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External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar led the Indian delegation in the 23rd Council of Ministers (COM) meeting and the 25th Committee of Senior Officials of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) held in Sri Lanka, said Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday.
In an official press release, MEA said that in the meeting India assumed the role of the Vice Chair of IORA for the year 2023-25, followed by the Chairship in 2025-27. Prior to this meeting, the IORA Senior Officials reviewed the entire range of IORA's ongoing and future work and activities for 2022-27. The COM adopted the Colombo Communique and the 'IORA Vision 2030 and Beyond', among other IORA-related documents. During the visit to Sri Lanka, EAM Jaishankar called on Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the President's Secretariat. During the meeting, both sides exchanged a letter and acceptance regarding Phase 4 of the flagship Indian Housing project for the construction of 10,000 houses in the plantation areas and the Infusion of additional funds in nine ongoing High Impact Community Development projects, said press release from MEA. Additionally, EAM also virtually inaugurated 126 houses in Badulla, Matale and Matara districts under phase-3 of the Indian Housing project, 48 houses in Matale and Puttalam districts under the Model Village Housing project, 64 houses in Hambantota and Jaffna districts under the Gram Shakthi projects and launched a joint logo was also launched commemorating 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries during the meeting with Sri Lankan President. The press release further stated, both the Leaders also signed a Joint Venture Shareholders' agreement between the National Dairy and Development Board (NDDB), the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation and the Cargills Group of Sri Lanka to strengthen the Sri Lankan dairy sector. (ANI)
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