New Delhi: India on Thursday described the visit of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe as a major step as the country shares important, multifaceted relations with the island nation.

“This is a very important visit, it is a neighbouring country with whom we have very important relationship, we have multifaceted relations,”  Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi during MEA weekly briefing on Thursday as quoted by ANI.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met him and tweeted: "Honoured to call on President Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka during his India visit."

"Confident that his meeting with PM @narendramodi tomorrow will further strengthen our neighborly bonds and take forward India’s Neighbourhood First and SAGAR policies," he said.

At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe, will visit India on an Official Visit on 21 July 2023.

This will be President Wickremesinghe’s first visit to India since assuming the current responsibilities.

During his visit, President Wickremesinghe will meet President  Droupadi Murmu and hold discussions with the Prime Minister and other Indian dignitaries on a range of issues of mutual interest.