Invitation by PM Modi a great gesture: Namal

COLOMBO (News 1st); Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa says that the invitation extended to Srilankan Airlines to be the first international carrier to land at the Kushinagar International Airport is a great gesture extended by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian News Agency ANI reports. The Minister led the delegation which was on the inaugural flight to the Kushinagar International Airport with 111 Buddhist monks representing three Buddhist Chapters of Sri Lanka. " One of the greatest gift Sri Lanka got from India is Buddhism. Hinduism and Buddhism has co-existed so far, and this deep rooted relationship will further strengthen with this effort" Namal stated. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla received Rajapaksa at the event in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar where Indian PM Modi inaugurated the Kushinagar International Airport today (20).