India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, arrived in Sri Lanka this morning for an official visit.
During his stay, the Indian Foreign Minister is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath.
This visit marks the first by any Foreign Minister to Sri Lanka since the new government was sworn in last week.
Dr. Jaishankar is accompanied by senior officials from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
“In keeping with India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and SAGAR outlook, the visit underlines the shared commitment of the two countries to further deepen the longstanding partnership for mutual benefit,” the MEA said in its statement.
During his day-long visit to Sri Lanka, Mr. Jaishankar will hold talks with the new Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and is expected to call on Mr. Dissanayake, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and meet with other leaders, depending on his schedule, said officials.
Indian projectsIn particular, discussions over the future of Indian projects, including the Trincomalee infrastructure and energy projects, and private investments such as the wind power project of the Adani Group, whose selection process Mr. Dissanayake has questioned, are expected. In addition, the new government’s stance on issues of devolution and Tamil rights, which New Delhi has been vocal about in the past, will be watched most closely.
The visit will also be an opportunity to gauge future policies of the newly elected National People’s Power [NPP] government — led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna [JVP] — in Sri Lanka, which has never held power before, towards investment from China and the access to Chinese military and research vehicles as well as other “dual use” projects, officials said.
Mr. Jaishankar will also be keen to secure Mr. Dissanayake’s commitment to visit India at the earliest, but officials said the visit may only take place after the Sri Lankan Parliamentary elections scheduled for November 14 this year. While leaders of friendly neighbouring countries have always made New Delhi their first destination, the tradition has been overturned in the past few months by Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and Bangladesh’s leader Muhammad Yunus.
Possibly sensing the 55-year-old leftist leader’s growing popularity earlier this year, New Delhi had hosted Mr. Dissanayake in February. Mr. Dissanayake was then an opposition legislator, and his visit which included meetings with Mr. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval drew much attention in the island nation. Mr. Doval met Mr. Dissanayake and other key presidential aspirants last month during a visit to Colombo.
Mr. Jaishankar was last in Colombo in June 2024, when he reviewed India-backed energy and connectivity projects with the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration. In New Delhi’s first high-level engagement with Mr. Dissanayake after he was sworn in on September 23, the projects are expected to be taken up for review.
Significantly, in the run-up to the polls, Mr. Dissanayake vowed to cancel the controversial Adani power project in northern Sri Lanka. Local environmental groups have already challenged the project at Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court, citing environmental concerns. However, he said the strategically located eastern port city of Trincomalee — where India is involved in refurbishing Second World War era oil tanks — will be developed through a joint venture with a foreign company. (Daily Mirror)
