PM Modi participates in International Vesak Day celebrations in Sri Lanka

This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second visit to Sri Lanka. He will meet President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe during the two-day affair.

Modi departs for Sri Lanka on May 11, 2017Twitter/ Gopal Baglay, Official Spokesperson, MEA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin his two-day Sri Lanka visit on Thursday, May 11 to attend International Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo as the chief guest with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. This is Prime Minister Modi's second Sri Lanka visit.

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He had toured Sri Lanka in 2015.

Last time, Modi had visited Anuradhapura, a UNESCO world heritage site and a leading centre of Buddhism for centuries. This time he will visit Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, also known as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The visit is not political.

7.15 pm IST: One of Modi's prime reason to visit Sri Lanka is to re-emphasise traditional Buddhist connection.

#PM @narendramodi in Sri #Lanka to re-emphasise traditional #Buddhist connect. pic.twitter.com/r5E0FFBAhX
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 11, 2017

7.05 pm IST: Modi offers prayers ar the Gangaramaya Temple.

6.50 pm IST: PM Modi visits Gangaramaya Temple along with Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo.

PM Modi visits Gangaramaya Temple along with Srilankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo, Sri Lanka pic.twitter.com/7atQIlOxtc
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 11, 2017

#WATCH PM Modi visits Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka https://t.co/2Sq1GJjNqK
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 11, 2017

6.31 pm IST: PM Modi says that he is happy to be in Sri Lanka, where he will be joining the International Vesak Day celebrations.

6.10 pm IST: PM Ranil Wickremesinghe receives Narendra Modi.

5.55 pm IST: PM Modi reaches Sri Lanka.

As Sri Lanka proudly celebrates #InternationalVesakDay, I warmly welcome Indian Premier @narendramodi who will grace the occasion.
— Maithripala Sirisena (@MaithripalaS) May 11, 2017

2.30 pm IST: Narendra Modi departs for Sri Lanka from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi.

Furthering ties n msg of Buddhism . PM @narendramodi departs for Colombo to attend Int'l Vesak Day Celebr'ns as Chief Guest pic.twitter.com/pFuBqZIOti
— Gopal Baglay (@MEAIndia) May 11, 2017

11.05 am IST: "Will be in Sri Lanka for a two-day visit during which I will join Vesak Day celebrations and other programmes," says PM Modi.