Colombo: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Friday and was received by the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Ministry of external affairs spokesman Syed Akbaruddin tweeted: "Never to early to receive a friend. Sri Lanka's PM Wickremesinghe receives PM @narendramodi on arrival at 0530 hrs."

Modi was in Mauritius and in Seychelles as part of his March 10-14 three-nation visit to key neighbouring countries across the Indian Ocean. Sri lanka is his last stop.

He is the first Indian prime minister to visit Sri Lanka in 28 years.

Akbaruddin also posted a picture of Sri Lankan newspapers with messages extending a warm welcome to Modi.

"Good morning from Sri Lanka ...plenty of coverage in newspapers," he tweeted.

Modi will hold talks with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who visited India last month on his first foreign trip after assuming office in January.