India pledges continued support for Sri Lanka after Jaishankar meets JVP delegation

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has met Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna General Secretary Tilvin Silva and a five-member Sri Lankan delegation in New Delhi. The meeting took place on Thursday, October 1, during the delegation’s five-day visit to India.

The delegation arrived on September 27 as part of engagement between the JVP and India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. After the meeting, Jaishankar wrote on X that he had held a good discussion with Silva on strengthening the two countries’ deep bonds of friendship. He added that India, as a trusted partner, would always support Sri Lanka’s progress and prosperity.

Silva was accompanied by JVP central committee member Chandrika Adikari, Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Aboobucker Athambawa, district committee member Kabilan Suntharamoorthy and international department member Kalpana Madhubashini. BJP national secretary Vijay Chauthaiwale said the visit was intended to strengthen engagement between the two political parties and facilitate exchanges of organisational experience. The programme also aimed to deepen ties between the BJP and JVP.

The source material does not provide details of specific agreements or policy decisions reached during the meetings. The visit was Silva’s second trip to India. Following an earlier visit in February, he had spoken about the need to shift the stance of Sri Lanka’s National People’s Power, the political grouping associated with the JVP, which had previously taken a strongly resistant position towards India.

Jaishankar’s statement emphasised India’s continuing support for Sri Lanka, while the party-to-party discussions formed the central focus of the delegation’s programme. The visit concluded on October 1, 2026.