India is the first destination on Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake's foreign tour since being elected President of Sri Lanka 3 months ago.
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| Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan welcomes Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (left) who is on a state visit to India from December 15-17. (Source: ANI) |
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived in New Delhi on the evening of December 15, marking his first foreign trip since being elected president in September and his National People's Power (NPP) coalition party winning a landslide victory in November's general election.
Today, December 16, Mr. Dissanayake will meet his counterpart Droupadi Murmu and have bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "other Indian officials on a range of issues of mutual interest," according to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
The new president is also scheduled to attend a business event aimed at “promoting investment and trade links between India and Sri Lanka” and then travel to Bodh Gaya, a town in southeastern Bihar state that is historically the most important holy site for Buddhism.
SAGAR and Neighbors First
Sri Lanka holds a central place in India’s Neighbourhood First policy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s SAGAR (Security and Inclusive Growth in the Region) vision. As India’s closest maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean region, Sri Lanka’s stability and prosperity are integral to the region’s security and development.
The visit continues a recent spate of high-level exchanges between the two neighbours. In October, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar visited Colombo, where he held discussions on power generation and transmission, solar electrification of religious sites, fuel and LNG supply, and digital public infrastructure. These initiatives aim to strengthen Sri Lanka’s economic sustainability and create new sources of revenue.
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| External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveys an invitation to visit India to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at a meeting in Colombo on October 4. (Source: Indian Ministry of External Affairs) |
Strong support from India has been instrumental in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. The new government has acknowledged India’s role in the island nation’s economic recovery, first through a $4 billion loan and humanitarian assistance following the 2022 economic crisis. New Delhi’s financial guarantees have facilitated the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) extended fund facility, providing much-needed relief to Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring efforts.
| In recent years, India has invested significantly in Sri Lanka’s infrastructure and is keen to strengthen trade links with Colombo, despite China’s role as the island’s largest bilateral lender. ( New Indian Express ) |
Enrichment development cooperation
Economic cooperation and connectivity are the cornerstones of India-Sri Lanka relations. During former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to India in July 2023, the two countries adopted a vision document outlining a roadmap for maritime, air, energy, trade and people-to-people connectivity.
Bilateral development projects and potential Indian investments are expected to be discussed during the upcoming summit meetings in New Delhi. The two sides are likely to consider India’s proposals for greater connectivity with Sri Lanka.
Cooperation in the energy sector and the persistent fishing conflict in the Palk Strait — Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu are regularly arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters — were also on the agenda.
Notably, the two sides are likely to discuss the future of the controversial Adani energy project in Sri Lanka. Following the recent indictment of the Adani Group by a US court, the Dissanayake administration said it was reviewing a wind power project that the previous government had approved for implementation in northern Sri Lanka.
During the election campaign, Mr Dissanayake pledged to scrap the “corrupt deal”, challenging the pricing formula in the power purchase agreement that was reached without competitive bidding.
Tourism remains an important component of the Sri Lankan economy, with Indian tourists making up a significant portion of the influx to the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean”. President Dissanayake has highlighted the potential for increased Indian tourist arrivals, which would boost Sri Lanka’s economy.
In addition, Sri Lanka is actively improving its tourism infrastructure to welcome more international visitors, including cooperation projects in heritage conservation and sustainable tourism, further strengthening cultural and economic relations between the two neighboring countries.
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| India and Sri Lanka restart ferry service connecting the two countries after more than four decades of inactivity, October 14, 2023. (Source: Daily Mirror) |
New chapter of shared growth
Dissanayake’s visit also promises to open a new chapter in the complicated story of India-Lanka relations, especially for the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP, People’s Liberation Front) political party that leads the ruling NPP coalition. In the 1980s, the JVP was strongly opposed to “Indian hegemony” and the India-brokered Accord. Even as the left-wing party reinvented itself, Dissanayake has repeatedly sought to allay concerns about “anti-India” sentiment.
“The world has changed, our party has also changed,” he told The Hindu in a 2023 interview, also acknowledging, “we know that India, our nearest neighbour, has become a major political and economic centre.”
“We will not allow any country or organization to use Sri Lanka’s airspace, land, or waters to threaten or endanger the national security of any country in the region, including India,” Dissanayake’s election manifesto stated.
So much is expected from Dissanayake’s second visit to New Delhi in 10 months. In February, at the invitation of the Indian government, the 55-year-old politician made a five-day, three-city visit, holding meetings with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi.
By choosing India as the destination for his first foreign trip after the Presidential and Parliamentary elections, Mr. Dissanayake has further demonstrated his renewed commitment to deepening bilateral ties with New Delhi. The outcome of this visit is likely to shape the trajectory of India-Sri Lanka relations in the years to come.
In addition, India’s proactive approach in supporting Sri Lanka in addressing its economic challenges and its vision for a connected and secure Indian Ocean region reaffirm the importance of this strong relationship. With a shared aspiration for prosperity and stability, the two neighbours are poised to embark on a new chapter of cooperation and shared growth.
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As President Dissanayake explores avenues to strengthen ties with his neighbour, the three-day, two-stop visit signals a broader message of unity and cooperation beyond their respective borders. By addressing common challenges and opportunities, India and Sri Lanka are setting an example of constructive engagement in a broader context. This dynamic partnership is not only transforming bilateral relations but also making a meaningful contribution to the stability and prosperity of the Indian Ocean region.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tong-thong-sri-lanka-tham-an-do-dinh-hinh-quy-dao-quan-he-lang-gieng-neu-guong-ve-hop-tac-vuot-bien-gioi-297542.html
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