Aug 20, Colombo: India's High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Ashok K. Kantha and Sri Lanka Foreign Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe exchanged the documents pertaining to setting up of Indian consulates in Jaffna and Hambanthota today at the Ministry of External Affairs in Colombo.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had agreed on establishing the Consulates General of India in Jaffna and in Hambantota to reinforce consular cooperation and friendly links between the two countries at the bilateral talks during Sri Lanka President's last official tour in June 2010 to India.

India has also agreed to facilitate Sri Lanka's interest in establishing a post in India, in addition to those in Chennai and in Mumbai functioning under the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi.

The Consul General office in Jaffna will provide services to the residents of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya, and Mullaitivu districts in Sri Lanka's Northern Province while the Consul General office in Hambanthota will serve the people of Galle, Matara, Hambanthota, and Monaragala districts.

Moneragala will be transferred to the new Consul General office in Hambanthota from the consular district of the existing Assistant High Commission of India in Kandy.

It has also been agreed that any expansion of the consular districts of the proposed Consulates General could be considered subsequently through mutual consent.

It is expected that the two Consulates General of India in Jaffna and Hambantota will be set up in the near future.