Sri Lanka approves visa-free entry for visitors from India, six other countries

Sri Lanka Cabinet approves issuing of free visas to India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand with immediate effect as a pilot project till 31 March, tweets Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Ali Sabry.

Earlier in March, Sri Lankan foreign minister Ali Sabry said that his country's relationship with India was ‘one of the most important in our foreign policy’.

He also highlighted his government’s plans to work more closely with New Delhi to bolster economic recovery. “We want to integrate and probably allow Indian currency to be a tradeable currency in Sri Lanka…You did [something similar] with Singapore and we probably want to do that. We understand India’s potential with 300 million to 400 million Indians travelling all around. So around the corner, come and use your own currency," he told the publication.