Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to travel to Sri Lanka in April. The visit, according to Sri Lankan sources, is still firming up and could happen around 5th April, with focus on a range of issues, including connectivity and economic ties.
The invitation for this visit was extended by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during his two-day trip to New Delhi in mid-December 2024. That was President Dissanayake’s first overseas visit after being elected in September 2024.
During the visit, the Indian government announced the conversion of $20 million in payments for seven completed Line of Credit projects into grants, easing Sri Lanka’s debt burden. The announcement builds on Delhi’s support to Colombo, worth $4 billion during the 2022 economic crisis the country faced.
The Sri Lankan president assured that Sri Lanka would not allow its territory to be used in any manner detrimental to Indian interests, key remarks amid India’s concern over growing Chinese engagements in the Indian Ocean region.
This will not be PM Modi’s first visit to Sri Lanka. He has previously visited the island nation multiple times, including in 2015, 2017, 2019 during his earlier terms. The 2015 visit, first bilateral trip by an Indian prime minister in several years, saw major announcements to firm up ties and a visit to Tamil-dominated Jaffna province. In May 2017, he was the chief guest for the first-ever International Vesak Day hosted by Sri Lanka.
In 2019, Modi made a brief stopover in Sri Lanka following the Easter terror attacks, becoming the first world leader to visit after the tragedy, signalling solidarity with Sri Lanka during a time of crisis.
Ties have several pillars including connectivity. On the connectivity front, a new ferry route between India’s Rameshwaram and Sri Lanka’s Talaimanner is being discussed. Another proposal that is on the table is a multi product petroleum pipeline that links Nagapattinam to Trincomalee, with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) playing a key role.
India is assisting Sri Lanka in adopting UPI for digital transactions, following its launch in February 2024 alongside Mauritius, something that enhances cross-border payments, especially for Indian tourists and businesses in Sri Lanka.
Source: WION
--Agencies
