Question: Who was the chief guest at the 14th International Vesak Day celebration hosted by Sri Lanka?
(a) Narendra Modi
(b) Bidya Devi Bhandari
(b) Maithripala Sirisena
(c) Ranil Wickremesinghe
Answer- (a)
Related facts:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on visit to Sri Lanka on May 11-12, 2017, on the invitation of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.
- This is the second visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Sri Lanka. Earlier, he visited Sri Lanka in March 2015.
- During this visit, Narendra Modi participated as the chief guest at the 14th International Vesak Day celebrations.
- This is the first occasion when Sri Lanka is hosting the International Vesak Day.
- Prime Minister also went at the well-known Ganga-Ramaiyya Temple in Colombo to participate in a lamp lighting ceremony.
- During this visit, he inaugurated a 150 bed multi-specialty hospital (being built with the assistance of Government of India) at Dickoya.
- Sri Lanka has long been a priority destination for direct investment from India.
- Sri Lanka is India’s largest trade partner in South Asia.
- India in turn is Sri Lanka’s largest trade partner globally.
- Trade between the two countries grew rapidly after the entry into force of the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement in March 2000.
- According to Sri Lankan Customs data, the bilateral trade amounted to US $ 4.7 billion in 2015.
- During 2015 India’s exports to Sri Lanka amounted to US $ 4.1 billion while India’s imports from Sri Lanka amounted to US $ 645 million.
Reference:
http://www.mea.gov.in/outoging-visit-detail.htm?28455/Transcript+of+Media+Briefing+on+PMs+upcoming+visit+to+Sri+Lanka
http://www.mea.gov.in/outoging-visit-detail.htm?28457/Transcript+of+Media+Briefing+in+Colombo+on+ongoing+visit+of+Prime+Minister+to+Sri+Lanka
http://www.mea.gov.in/outoging-visit-detail.htm?28459/Address+by+Prime+Minister+at+International+Vesak+Day+celebrations+in+Colombo+May+12+2017
http://www.mea.gov.in/outoging-visit-detail.htm?28458/Address+by+Prime+Minister+to+the+Indian+Origin+Tamil+Community+in
http://www.mea.gov.in/incoming-visit-detail.htm?28418/Working+visit+of+Prime+Minister+of+Sri+Lanka+to+India
https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/Sri_Lanka_January_2014.pdf