Sri Lankan President Anura Dissanayake will visit India from December 15 to 17, marking his first international trip since taking office in September.
The visit, announced by Cabinet spokesperson Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, reflects strengthening ties between the two nations. Dissanayake will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu, accompanied by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando.
The invitation was extended by India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, who visited Colombo shortly after Dissanayake’s victory. The visit was postponed until the NPP’s historic parliamentary win in November, granting it a decisive majority.
The visit is expected to focus on trade, development cooperation, and regional security. It is a significant step in reinforcing Sri Lanka-India relations, highlighting Dissanayake’s emphasis on regional partnerships amidst Sri Lanka’s ongoing recovery.
India is concerned about the rising influence of China in Sri Lanka, in its geopolitical influence in South Asia. Chinese banks provided loans, which funded many infrastructure projects in the country. China is Sri Lanka’s largest single lender, accounting for more than half of the island’s $13.8 billion bilateral debt at the time of default. India wants to reduce Chinese influence in its neighbourhood.
However this visit navigates Sri Lanka to its economic recovery, which faces default in 2022 and recalibrates Colombo’s foreign policy and solidifies India’s regional presence.