India today opened its visa application centre in the Jaffna peninsula. Inaugurating the India Visa Application Centre (IVAC) of the High Commission of India, the High Commission of India to Sri Lanka Ashok K. Kantha said that this would benefit the people of Jaffna and neighbouring areas as they would not have to travel all the way to Colombo to submit their India visa applications. <br/>A statement by the Indian mission in Colombo said this initiative will facilitate the visa applicants to submit their visa applications in Jaffna and to take delivery of the passports from the India Visa Application Centre, Jaffna. <br/>Besides promoting regional ties , the High Commissioner of India also reiterated the commitment of New Delhi to promote closer ties between the people of India and Sri Lanka and conveyed that India was looking forward to opening a Consulate in Jaffna in the near future. <br/>He also said that Government of India also favoured an early resumption of the ferry service between Talaimannar and Rameshwaram as also between Colombo and Tuticorin.<br/>