Indian FM Jaishankar in Sri Lanka to discuss partnerships amid project delays, ahead of polls
ECONOMYNEXT – India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will pay a one-day official visit to Colombo on Thursday (20) and meet Sri Lankan leaders to discuss “wide-ranging issues of the partnership”, India said, amid delays of some key Indian projects ahead of a presidential poll in Sri Lanka.
Though Sri Lankan government has claimed that Jaishankar’s visit was a precursor to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who formed the new government last week, the External Affairs Ministry of India did not mention anything on Modi’s visit.
The visit will be Jaishankar’s first bilateral visit after the formation under the new government.
“Reaffirming India’s Neighbourhood First Policy, the visit underlines India’s continued commitment to Sri Lanka as its closest maritime neighbour and time tested friend,” the Indian External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
“The visit will add momentum to connectivity projects and other mutually beneficial cooperation across sectors.”
The visit comes amid delays in key Indian projects including land, oil and gas pipe, and grid connectivity deals, Adani’s wind power plant deals which is facing a legal battle, and port and investment zone projects in the Eastern port district of Trincomalee.
Adani wind power project in the Northern district of Mannar has seen some public protest over environmental concerns after some experts said the project has failed to do a proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The critics against project also protest against its lack of transparency.
Jaishankar visit also comes as Sri Lanka is expected to go for presidential poll within next four months.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, and Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka are expected to contest in the election to chose the island nation’s 8th leader.
Sri Lankan leaders have been under pressure from India in the past two decades amid increasing Chinese influence in the island nation as the move is seen as a security threat to India, analysts say.
Docking of a Chinese nuclear submarine in 2014 with the New Delhi government’s approval led to dramatic government change in 2015 presidential poll with ousting of former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Rajapaksa later accused India for his defeat.
Rajapaksa’s brother Gotabaya in 2021 unilaterally cancelled a key port terminal project given to India unilaterally after promising Jaishankar to sign the deal.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to flee the country in 2022 after mass protests due to his wrong economic policies.
(Colombo/June 20/2024)⍐
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