After concluding his visit to Thailand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday displaced to Sri Lanka. PM Modi first participated in the Bimstec summit group in Bangkok, where he held bilateral discussions with Bimstake Partner Nations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped his visit to Thailand on Friday after being displaced to Sri Lanka after attending the Bimstec summit group in Bangkok on Friday. PM Modi has been slated to become the first foreign leader to be hosted by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissnayaka after taking charge last September. PM Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka is likely to focus on overall bilateral defense relations and deepen cooperation in the fields of energy, trade and connectivity.
India on top agenda, Sri Lanka Defense Cooperation
After bilateral discussion between PM Modi and the Sri Lankan President, the two countries will sign a major defense cooperation treaty, which prominently benefit because the island comes against the backdrop of China’s continuous efforts to increase its military influence on the nation.
If the MoUs are signed, it would indicate a trajectory upwards in the India-Sri Lanka relations, eventually out the bitter chapter, which saw India out of Sri Lanka about 35 years ago, taking out the Indian peace-keeping force (IPKF) from Sri Lanka.
In particular, India and Sri Lanka were in the Loggerheads in August 2022 after the Chinese missile and satellite tracking ship ‘Yuan Wang’ at the Hambentota port. Another Chinese warship was docked in August 2023 at Colombo port.
India may agree on the restructuring of Sri Lanka’s debt
India and Sri Lanka are also likely to strengthen other bilateral agreements, including the restructuring of Sri Lankan debt after PM Modi’s bilateral meeting.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that an MoU (memorandum) on defense cooperation is likely to be signed, which would be the first between New Delhi and Colombo.
On overall relations with Sri Lanka, Misri said, “Sri Lanka is an integral part of our ‘Neberhood First’ policy, and relationship based on mutual belief and goodwill is based on the criterion of time.”
He said that PM Modi’s upcoming Sri Lanka visit is also likely to focus on increasing investment and deepening connectivity, including physical connectivity, digital connectivity, energy connectivity and to increase cooperation in various other domains.
Also read PM Modi met Nepal’s PM Oli from the banks of the Bimstec summit in Bangkok
