Indian and Sri Lankan officials discussed plans for the proposed Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) at talks in New Delhi on Monday.
Indian Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia and Sri Lanka's secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce TMKB Tennakoon led the talks, which came as unions in Sri Lanka protested over a feared "invasion" of Indian labour, that is believed by the Sinhala south to be the future result of any economic agreement with India.
Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Esala Weerakoon said the officials exchanged ideas about the kind of areas each side wants incorporated in the ETCA.
"There will be a fifth round of talks either in January or February next year, when the two sides will put together a framework agreement. The agreement will be finalised by June, 2016," he told The Island.
Mr Weerakoon said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Sri Lanka in June 2016 to sign this agreement.
The ETCA will include cooperation in sectors such as investment, technology, research, higher education, tourism and people-to-people contacts, he further said.
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