Chennai: Narendra Modi and Mahinda Rajapaksha seem to be making inroads into bilateral unions if their camaraderie seen today is anything to go by. The Sri Lankan prime minister is on a three-day visit to India and will return on Sunday.

"I congratulate my friend Mahinda Rajapaksha on becoming the prime minister... I thank him for choosing India to be his first place to visit on official capacity," said Modi, going on to congratulate the population of Sri Lanka for the new regime. "Sri Lanka and India are tied together by relations of friendship since the olden times," noted Modi in an address.

Modi's media statement vaguely talks about security issues, an issue that India has had continually with India. “Stability, security, and prosperity in Sri Lanka is in India’s interest, but also in the interest of the entire Indian Ocean Region,” read the statement. Mahinda Rajapaksha had also tweeted about strengthening the ties with India during the course of his visit. Mahinda Rajapaksha, who is a former president of Sri Lanka, is the elder brother of the current Lankan president. During his rule, India had raised concerns after China seemed to be making too many stops closer home in the Indian Ocean.