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Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was at the airport to receive Modi at 5:30 AM.

 

"Never to early to receive a friend. Sri Lanka's PM Wickremesinghe receives PM @narendramodi on arrival at 0530 hrs," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted.

 

Modi was also given a grand ceremonial reception by country's President Maithripala Sirisena.

 

"President Sirisena welcomes PM @narendramodi at the ceremonial reception in Colombo," Akbaruddin posted.

 

Modi's visit to to the island nation is considered to be an opportunity to further strengthen all aspects of the bilateral relationship.

 

"I see this visit as an opportunity to further strengthen our relationship in all its dimensions - political, strategic, economic, cultural, and above all, people to people contacts," Modi had said in his pre-departure statement.

 

Modi will also address the Sri Lankan Parliament during his visit.