Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will visit India in mid-December at the invitation of the Indian government, announced Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath on Monday.
During his visit, President Dissanayake will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The invitation was initially extended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who was the first foreign dignitary to meet with Dissanayake after his election as President in September.
Jaishankar also visited Sri Lanka in October following the National People’s Power (NPP) government’s ascent to power under Dissanayake on September 23.
Herath, who retained his position as Foreign Minister in Dissanayake’s first Cabinet after a landslide victory in last week’s parliamentary elections, stated that the new government is committed to strengthening Sri Lanka’s international relations to bring about a governance renaissance on the island.
Sri Lanka faced its first-ever sovereign default in April 2022, marking a historic financial crisis that led to the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amid widespread civil unrest. India provided approximately USD 4 billion in assistance to help Sri Lanka recover from the severe economic downturn after the country defaulted on more than USD 51 billion in foreign loans. Sri Lanka remains a key maritime neighbor to India in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and is central to initiatives such as ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the ‘Neighbourhood First Policy.’
While in opposition, Dissanayake had voiced concerns over certain Indian projects, particularly the sustainable energy initiatives led by the Adani Group. During his campaign, he promised to cancel these projects if elected, arguing they were detrimental to Sri Lankan interests.
