President returns to Sri Lanka after successful Indian tour

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned to the country this evening after completing a three-day official tour in India.
The President arrived in Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport around 4:20 p.m. in a SriLankan airline flight.

A number of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and MPs were present at the airport to welcome the President.
The President inked seven important bilateral agreements during his tour including an agreement to build 50,000 houses in Northern Province of the island.
India also agreed to provide a US $ 800 million credit facility to reconstruct and develop the railway in Northern Province in addition to a US $ 200 million line of credit to assist setting up of the NTPC-CEB Joint Venture Thermal Power Plant at Trincomalee in Eastern Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka President held bilateral talks with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President Prathiba Patil, the Minister of Finance Pranab Mukherjee, Opposition Leader Sushma Swaraj and Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi.
A group of Tamil MPs from Tamil Nadu also had discussions with the President at New Delhi.
(Pictures by Sudath Silva)