Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse arrived in New Delhi Tuesday on a four-day visit during which he is expected to seek greater involvement of India in his country's fragile peace process.
The former prime minister is on his first overseas trip after being elected as president in November, a decision to which India attaches immense significance.
During his three-day stay in Delhi, the two neighbours will explore ways for further consolidating bilateral relations, particularly in the economic field.
Rajapakse will meet President A P J Abdul Kalam and Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat besides holding wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the entire gamut of bilateral relations.
He will also meet United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and ministers of commerce and industry, home, shipping, road transport and highways and planning.
Ahead of his visit, Rajapakse said last week in Colombo that in India he will seek greater involvement of New Delhi in the island's faltering peace effort with the Tamil Tigers.
He said he expected India to play a "bigger role" in supporting the island's peace efforts to end three decades of ethnic bloodshed.
Rajapakse said he expected India to have an involvement similar to what the quartet known as co-chairs -- US, European Union, Japan and Norway -- has in supporting peace efforts.
The quartet has led international efforts to raise money in support of the island's peace efforts.
Prior to his return home, he will also visit Kochi and Chennai.
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