India's Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Planning, Science and Technology Ashwani Kumar warmly welcomed the President.

The President is scheduled to meet his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today.

President Rajapaksa will leave for Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh on Friday (21) to participate in the foundation laying ceremony of University of Buddhist and India Studies with dignitaries from Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Japan, Cambodia, Mongolia and Nepal.