Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is on a four-day state visit to India. He will hold talks on a number of key areas including trade, defence and maritime security cooperation, his office announced on Thursday. The visit, beginning 7 February, will be the Rajapaksa senior's first overseas visit since his brother Gotabaya was elected President in November. Rajapaka will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday. The leaders are expected to prioritise defence and maritime security ties between both countries as the neighbours play a crucial role in the US-led Indo-Pacific initiative, seen largely as an attempt to counter China. The visiting dignitary hopes to finalise the implementation of the $ 450 million line of credit pledged by Prime Minister Modi to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa during his visit to New Delhi in November.