— Photo: AFP

STRENGTHENING TIES: Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar (right) with his Sri Lankan counterpart Maithripala Sirisena at the venue of a meeting in Colombo on Thursday.

COLOMBO: Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Thursday called on Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa and exchanged views on bilateral relations and the security scenario in the island nation.

Earlier, Mr. Pawar met Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Mahaweli Development and pledged Indian support for enhancement of capacity-building, training programmes and exchange of germ plasmas and scientific literature.

New Delhi also agreed to raise the present quota of 40 scholarships to Sri Lankans wanting to pursue post-graduation and doctorates in India.

Mr. Pawar is scheduled to call on Mr. Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on Friday for an exchange of views on the current situation in Sri Lanka, particularly in the light of the aerial raids by the Tamil Tigers and the ongoing debate for political resolution of the ethnic conflict.

Mr. Pawar's official agenda is confined to agriculture and related fields. But given his seniority in the UPA Government and the volatile situation in the island nation, particularly in the backdrop of the strain in the recent weeks in Indo-Sri Lanka relations, the visit acquires importance.

Colombo is upset about the inefficacy of the India-gifted air defence radars. Official circles have hinted that New Delhi pressured Colombo to opt for the two-dimensional radars instead of the three-dimensional units from China.

According to diplomatic circles, the matter has now been sorted out and both Governments are working together to strengthen Sri Lanka's air defence mechanism.

Colombo has also been agitated over Defence Minister A.K. Antony's recent statement in Parliament that 77 Indian fishermen were killed by the Sri Lanka Navy from 1991 to mid-2007.

After giving 48 hours to India to clarify the statement, Sri Lanka issued a statement questioning Mr. Antony's claim.

These subjects and the recent proposals put forth by the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party for resolution of the ethnic strife could figure informally during the course of his interaction with his interlocutors here.

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