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Will impart new momentum, says India as Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe lands in Delhi
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to meet PM Narendra Modi and other Indian dignitaries on Friday
NEW DELHI: Forging greater economic and energy connectivity, security issues and development projects are expected to be on the agenda for Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s two-day visit beginning Thursday, the external affairs ministry said.
Wickremesinghe’s visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is the first by a Sri Lankan leader since the island nation was hit by an unprecedented economic crisis last year. This is also be Wickremesinghe’s first trip to India since he was elected president in July 2022 after his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled Sri Lanka amid massive public protests.
India provided economic aid worth almost $4 billion, including currency support, deferred payment of loans and lines of credit for emergency purchases of food, fuel and medicines, to Sri Lanka last year so that the country could cope with its worst economic crisis in decades.
Sri Lanka is a neighbour with which India has important and multifaceted relations and New Delhi looks forward to Wickremesinghe’s visit to “impart a new momentum to the relationship”, external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told a regular media briefing.
The two sides have discussed how Sri Lanka can benefit from closer economic cooperation and the growth of India’s economy, Bagchi said. Common security issues, development cooperation, new developmental projects and Indian investments are expected to be part of the agenda during the visit.
“As you know, we have helped them with their economic problems...and I think this will be a good base to take forward our conversation,” he added.
Sri Lanka has notified the Indian rupee as a designated foreign currency, though Bagchi noted that progress in this matter will depend on the private sector. “We would like to deepen this kind of financial and economic connect,” he said.
The Sri Lankan side has been working for greater integration with India’s economy, including more Indian investments, trade settlement in Indian rupees and increasing the inflow of Indian tourists. The two sides are also close to concluding an agreement on linking their power transmission grids for energy trade, people familiar with the matter said.
The main day for Wickremesinghe’s official engagements in New Delhi will be July 21. Besides holding discussions with Modi and other Indian dignitaries on a range of issues, Wickremesinghe will meet his Indian counterpart Droupadi Murmu.
Sri Lanka is an important partner in India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision and the visit will “reinforce the longstanding friendship between the two countries and explore avenues for enhanced connectivity and mutually beneficial cooperation across sectors”, the external affairs ministry said.
Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra travelled to Sri Lanka on July 11 and held talks with his counterpart Aruni Wijewardane to prepare for Wickremesinghe’s visit, which comes as both countries celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Kwatra also met Sri Lankan foreign minister Ali Sabry and Wickremesinghe.
The two sides have also worked in recent months to overcome the impact of a Chinese surveillance vessel’s visit to Hambantota port last year. India and the US had opposed the visit of Yuan Wang 5, a vessel used by China’s People’s Liberation Army to track satellites and ballistic missiles, to Hambantota, which is controlled by the Chinese.
