Page 2 - India-sri Lanka

India committed to increasing investment in Lanka: EAM Jaishankar

India has told the global lender that it strongly supports Sri Lanka's debt restructuring plan, with Colombo owing around $1 billion to its nearest neighbour

Lanka thanks India for support, assurances given to IMF to restructure debt

Jaishankar, who is here on a two-day visit, on Thursday met Sri Lanka's top leadership, including his Sri Lankan counterpart Ali Sabry and President Ranil Wickremesinghe

EAM discuss cooperation in infra, connectivity with Lankan counterpart

'Conveyed our commitment to increasing investment flows to Sri Lanka to hasten its economic recovery. Look forward to my discussions with the leadership tomorrow morning'

EAM Jaishankar arrives in Sri Lanka to finalise plans on debt restructuring

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived here for a much-anticipated visit to Sri Lanka to finalise a debt restructuring plan to help Colombo carve out path from its worst economic crisis

Like India said, 13A should be implemented: Sri Lanka president

13th Amendment is for devolution of power to the Tamil community

EAM likely to visit Lanka on Jan 19; talks on debt restructuring expected

Sri Lanka will hold debt restructuring talks with India when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to visit Colombo this week, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, as the cash-strapped country looks to carve a path out of its worst financial crisis. The crisis-hit island nation, which is trying to secure a much-needed USD 2.9 billion bridge loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has been trying to get financial assurances from its major creditors China, Japan and India which is the requisite for Colombo to get the bailout package. The IMF bailout has been put on a halt as Sri Lanka pursues talks with creditors to meet the global lender's condition for the facility. Addressing trade unionists here on Saturday, President Wickremesinghe said his government has concluded debt restructuring talks with Japan and will hold such meetings with India this month. Wickremesinghe, who also holds the finance ministry portfolio, said that the debt restructuring talks

July 9 uprising unified Sri Lanka across races: Booker Prize winner

It was a movement, especially July 9, 2022 where the whole country unified across races, generations, political views: Shehan Karunatilaka

Sri Lankan central bank urges India, China to reduce debts at the earliest

Sri Lanka, which is currently amidst the worst-ever economic crisis since its independence in 1948, defaulted on its debt repayments and negotiated a $2.9 billion bailout

Century-old railway track in Sri Lanka being rebuilt with Indian assistance

The reconstruction work of a century-old railway track in northern Sri Lanka, which will be completed under India's assistance, was officially inaugurated here on Monday, a move aimed at enhancing mobility of goods and services and boosting economic activity in the cash-strapped island nation. The 43-km long reconstructed railway track between Medawachchiya and Madhu Road represents the first phase of the project to reconstruct the Northern Railway Line, covering 252 km. IRCON International, an Indian company that has contributed to several railway reconstruction projects in Sri Lanka, is headlining this project. Additionally, ancillary works from Maho to Omanthai 128 km is also being undertaken by IRCON, under an existing line of credit (LoC) of USD 318 million, at a cost of USD 91.27 million. As a long-standing development partner of Sri Lanka, the Government of India executed several projects in Sri Lanka under its concessional loans and grant schemes. Of the different sectors o

India provides 75 buses to Sri Lanka to support public transport system

India has handed 75 passenger buses to Sri Lanka as part of its assistance towards strengthening public transport infrastructure in the cash-strapped country. As part of its 'Neighbourhood First' policy, India has extended multi-pronged assistance to Sri Lanka to help the country tide over its worst economic and humanitarian crisis since its independence from Great Britain in 1948. Supporting mobility and accessibility in Sri Lanka, High Commissioner handed over 75 buses for use by Transport Board. 500 buses are being supplied to Sri Lanka through Indian assistance towards strengthening public transport infrastructure, the Indian High Commission here said in a statement. In a similar move, India handed 125 SUVs to the Sri Lanka Police under a line of credit in December to support the island nation and help it address the serious mobility restriction issues faced by the police, due to the non-availability of vehicles. The Sri Lankan government in May last year declared a debt defaul

India's response to debt restructuring request expected by Jan end: SL

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that India's response to cash-strapped Sri Lanka's request for debt restructuring is expected by the end of this month. Sri Lanka, which is trying to secure a USD 2.9 billion bridge loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has been trying to to get financial assurances from its major creditors -- China, Japan and India -- which is the requisite for Colombo to get the bailout package. Talking to the media, Wickremesinghe on Friday also said that he is hopeful of obtaining the USD 2.9 billion IMF facility in the first quarter of this year. Sri Lanka had begun debt restructuring talks with its creditors since September last year as warranted by its agreement with the IMF for the USD 2.9 billion facility over four years. The cash-strapped country began negotiating with the IMF for a bail-out after having announced its first-ever sovereign debt default in April last year. Wickremesinghe had earlier said that India and Sri Lanka held ...

India sends 125 SUVs to Sri Lanka police under 'Neighbourhood First Policy'

India has handed 125 SUVs to the Sri Lankan police under a line of credit as part of its ongoing efforts to support the cash-strapped island nation and address the serious mobility restriction issues faced by the police due to non-availability of vehicles. As part of its 'Neighbourhood First' policy, India has extended multi-pronged assistance to Sri Lanka over the last 12 months to help the country tide over its worst economic and humanitarian crisis since its independence from Great Britain in 1948. Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay on Thursday handed over 125 SUVs to Sri Lanka's Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles for Sri Lanka Police in an official ceremony. Taking to Twitter, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said that another 375 SUVs will be dispatched to Colombo under an existing line of credit. India's Support to Sri Lanka continues. The High Commissioner ceremonially handed over 125 Mahindra SUVs to Hon. Min of Public Security, Tiran Alles for Sri Lanka. Pol

India's support for Lanka's green development assured: High Commissioner

India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Bhagle has said that India's assistance to Sri Lanka is not limited to economic cooperation but also to the island nation's green development process. Bhagle made the remarks when he visited the Seethawaka Botanical Garden here at the invitation of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on Wednesday and planted a sapling in celebration of 75 years of independence of India. According to a statement by the Sri Lankan Prime Minister's Office, Bhagle said, "India's support for Sri Lanka's green development process is deserved. The relations between the two countries are not limited to economic cooperation." He also reiterated India's full support of Sri Lanka's programme of promoting renewable energy. Gunawardena, lauding the bilateral relationship between the two countries said, The Indo-Sri Lankan friendship is not limited to a few years. It spans many centuries. Bilateral relations between the two countries have become stronger every time." "B

India, SL to launch ferry service between Kankesanthurai and Pondicherry

Sri Lanka and India will start a passenger ferry service next month between Kankesanthurai port in Jaffna district and Pondicherry, according to media reports. Ports, Shipping, and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said arrangements were made to start the ferry service in mid-January next year, Colombo Page reported. The minister said the Indian government had extended consent for the service, Daily Mirror reported. "A large number of Indian citizens are engaged in business activities in the Jaffna Peninsula. With such engagement, the new service is expected to generate a large portion of foreign revenue. It will also be of immense convenience for Buddhist pilgrims to India," the minister said. The minister said that passenger transport services will also be started from south India to Trincomalee and Colombo in Sri Lanka. He pointed out that till now no firm conclusion has been reached about starting the ferry service between Thalaimannar and India. De Silva added

Lanka prez holds all-party meeting for peaceful resolution of Tamil issue

An all-party meeting convened by President Ranil Wickremesinghe has discussed the 13th Amendment to Sri Lanka's Constitution as mooted by India to resolve the long-standing demand for political autonomy for the minority Tamils in the island nation, political leaders said on Wednesday. The Tamil parties which participated in the meeting on Tuesday urged the government to hold the northern provincial council election. The 13A is already a part of the Constitution and it is a point that most parties agreed to, Tamil Progressive Alliance (TNA) leader Mano Ganesan told PTI. Ganesan, who represents mostly the Western province-based Tamils of Indian origin, said President Wickremesinghe has asked him to forward proposals on the 13A issue on behalf of the hill country Tamil community or the Tamils of Indian origin. India has been pressing Sri Lanka to implement the 13th Amendment which was brought in after the Indo-Sri Lankan agreement of 1987. The 13A provides for devolution of power to t

Sri Lanka holds all-party meet to resolve Tamil's political autonomy issue

An all-party meeting was held here to discuss the 13th Amendment to Sri Lanka's Constitution as mooted by India to resolve the long standing demand for political autonomy for the minority Tamils in the island nation, political leaders said on Wednesday. The Tamil parties which participated in the meeting on Tuesday urged the government to hold the northern provincial council election. The 13A is already a part of the Constitution and it is a point that most parties agreed to, Tamil Progressive Alliance leader Mano Ganesan told PTI. Ganesan, who represents mostly the Western province based Tamils of Indian-origin, said President Ranil Wickremesinghe has asked him to forward proposals on the 13A issue on behalf of the hill country Tamil community or the Tamils of Indian-origin. India has been pressing Sri Lanka to implement the 13th Amendment which was brought in after the Indo-Sri Lankan agreement of 1987. The 13A provides for devolution of power to the Tamil community. Ganesan sai

Navy Chief R Hari Kumar arrives in Sri Lanka for four-day official visit

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar has been invited as the Chief Guest and Reviewing Officer for the Commissioning Parade at the Naval and Maritime Academy

India, Sri Lanka resume flight service between Chennai and Jaffna

India and Sri Lanka on Monday resumed flight services between Chennai and Jaffna, three years after the island nation discontinued the services due to the Covid pandemic. The first flight on resumption of services landed this morning at the Jaffna International Airport, Upul Dharmadasa the Chairman of the Airport and Aviation Services told reporters. Jaffna airport officials said the Alliance Air service landed at Jaffna at 1125 am local time. A small ceremony was conducted to welcome the flight which had 14 selected passengers, mostly officials, on board. The return to Chennai was scheduled for 2.50 pm local time. The Alliance Air flights would operate four times a week between the two cities. The airport in Palaly was named the Jaffna International Airport as Sri Lanka's third international airport in October 2019 and had its first flight from Chennai. The airport in Palaly was named the Jaffna international airport as Sri Lanka's third international airport in October 2019 an

Sri Lanka to resume flights from Jaffna to Chennai after 3 yrs from Dec 12

Sri Lanka is set to resume flights from the northern Jaffna peninsula to Chennai from Monday, three years after the island nation discontinued the services due to Covid, a spokesman from the Sri Lankan Airport Authority said on Friday. "The commercial flight operations from Chennai International airport to Jaffna International airport will be back effective 12th December 2022," SLAA spokesperson Sumith de Silva told PTI. This will be a resumption of flights since they were stopped for Covid," de Silva said. India's Alliance Air would operate four flights a week between the two cities, said de Silva. Earlier, Sri Lanka's Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told Parliament that flights will be operational between Jaffna and Chennai by December 12. However, there are still some improvements left to be done to the runway. The present runway can only accommodate 75-seater aircraft. The airport in Palaly was named the Jaffna international airport as Sri Lanka's third internation

Lanka to resume flights from Jaffna to India next week: Aviation ministry

Sri Lanka will resume flights from the northern Jaffna peninsula to Chennai by next week, a senior minister has said, a move that will help the cash-strapped country's tourism sector and provide a fillip to its beleaguered economy. The tourism sector is the main source of foreign exchange earnings for Sri Lanka. However, the onset of the pandemic in 2020 severely crippled the tourism sector and was one of the major reasons for Sri Lanka's economic travails. The island nation's earnings from international tourist arrivals for November touched USD 107.5 billion, with the cumulative tally in the first eleven months of the year notching up a whopping USD 1129.4 million, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. "The flights to India from Palaly will resume soon, most probably by December 12," Sri Lanka's Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told Parliament on Monday. Flights will be operational between Jaffna and Chennai, the minister said. "There are still some improvements t