Page 3 - India-sri Lanka

Top Headlines: India-UAE trade deal; crude import basket at 10-month low

The price of the Indian basket of crude oil has hit a 10-month low of $88.6 a barrel in November, government data showed

SL navy arrests 15 Indian fishermen for alleged poaching in northern waters

The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) stated that the arrests were made during 'a special operation in seas north of Talaimannar to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lanka's waters'

Sri Lanka, India discuss maritime challenges faced in Indian Ocean

The navies of India and Sri Lanka have discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and actions to overcome common maritime challenges faced by the navies and coast guard personnel of the two countries in the Indian Ocean. The 32nd international maritime boundary line (IMBL) meeting between Sri Lankan and Indian navies was held here on board SLNS Sayura off the coast of Kankesanthurai in the north on Friday, the Sri Lanka Navy said in a press release. The talks between the navies of the two countries was held to mainly discuss common maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean region. The objective of the IMBL meeting is to strengthen relationships between the two neighbouring countries and discuss actions to be taken pertaining to the navies and Coast Guard personnel to overcome maritime challenges. At this year's meeting delegates from both sides discussed matters pertinent to the security of maritime borders of both countries and exchanged views on the progress of previous ...

SL President Wickremesinghe expresses grief over Gujarat bridge collapse

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday expressed grief over a bridge collapse in Gujarat's Morbi city and extended his condolences to the victims and their families. The more than a century-old bridge, which had reopened five days back after extensive repairs and renovation, was crammed with people when it collapsed on Sunday evening. Over 130 people have died so far in the accident. In a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Wickremesinghe said he is "shocked and saddened" by the tragic bridge collapse incident in Morbi, according to a press release issued by the president's office. "The government and people of Sri Lanka join me in extending deepest condolences to you, the government and people of India especially the families of the citizens who lost their lives. May the injured have a speedy recovery and wish every success in the rescue and recovery operations underway," the president said. Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's .

Sri Lanka gets medicines from Puducherry for Tamil workers in hilly areas

Sri Lanka on Sunday received a consignment of medicines from the Government of Puducherry to be used for the Tamil workers in the hill plantation regions of the island nation's central province, according to the office of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The consignment, which was coordinated by the trade union cum political party of the plantation Tamils of Indian-origin, Ceylon Workers Congress, was received by President Wickremesinghe. Speaking on the occasion, Wickremesinghe said that the government will appoint a committee to seek how best to integrate the Tamils of Hill Country origin further into the Sri Lankan Society. While some of the Tamils of Hill Country origin had integrated successfully into the Sri Lankan society, some have failed and measures would be taken to assist them to do so, he said. The President recalled the Sirimalwatte-Shastri Pact between the then Indian and Sri Lankan leaders under which some of the Indian-origin plantation Tamils was ...

Debt restructuring talks underway with IMF, India, China: Sri Lanka Prez

Sri Lanka has started debt restructuring talks with the IMF, India and China, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Sunday, exuding confidence that if the discussions move forward in a systematic way, the country would tide over its worst economic crisis. Addressing a gathering in the Siyambalanduwa district, Wickremesinghe said talks have also started with private creditors on debt restructuring. For the first time yesterday, we began talks with the IMF, China, Japan and India on lessening our debt burden, he said. It will be difficult for us to pay back debt, still we have to find ways to lessen our debt burden. We are faced with a situation where we are unable to meet interest payments. But I'm hopeful that if our talks could be carried forward in a systematic way, we would be able to solve our problems, he said. The president said he spoke to the Chinese finance minister while Sri Lanka's finance minister Shehan Semasinghe on Saturday started talks with India on debt ...

Sri Lankan PM stresses need for further growth in trade with India

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has met top executives from India and stressed the need for further growth in bilateral trade and increase Indian investments in new areas, where the techno knowhow from the neighbouring country could be introduced, according to his office. Prime Minister Gunawardena made the remarks when the Indian CEO Forum-Sri Lanka (ICF) called on him at the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday. He thanked the Indian companies for their significant input and support to Sri Lanka's economy by way of bringing substantial investments into the cash-strapped country, export earnings, employment generation, and contribution of treasury through direct and indirect taxes, the PM office said in a statement. The ICF team led by its President T S Prakash stated that the member companies represent diverse industries from automobile, banking, cement, and FMCG to fuel, glass, hospitality, infrastructure, logistics, packaging, paint, and pharmaceuticals. Referring t

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy meets Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa brothers

Senior BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy on Thursday met Gotabaya Rajapaksa here, becoming the first foreign visitor to call on the ousted Sri Lankan president, following his return to Colombo after fleeing the country amidst unprecedented protests against his government's mishandling of the island nation's economy. Swamy, a close friend of the Rajapaksa family who is in Sri Lanka to attend a conference of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University on national security, also met with Gotabaya's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday evening and attended the Navratri pooja at his residence, sources said on Thursday. "Swamy, a close friend of the Rajapaksa brothers attended the Navaratri pooja held at Mahinda Rajapaksa's official residence last night before calling on Gotabaya Rajapaksa this morning," sources said. Swamy has become the first foreign visitor to call on Gotabaya since he returned early this month after his self-imposed exile after facing a violent nationwide prote

Sri Lanka to seek India or China's credit line for solar panel imports: Min

Sri Lanka intends to seek an Indian or Chinese credit line for the purchase of solar panels as a solution to mitigate the high cost of electricity tariffs, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said on Tuesday amid calls by the influential Buddhist clergy to protest against the rising electricity price. We have the problem of foreign exchange, making it difficult to pay for imports. One solution we have to think is to have a credit line from India or China as panels are imported from them," Wijesekara told parliament. In August, Sri Lanka hiked the electricity tariff by an average of 75 per cent, after nine years. The government is facing criticism from the Buddhist clergy, who claim that their monthly bills had reached unbearable levels. The influential Buddhist clergy has called on the public not to pay the electricity bills in protest. Wijesekara said there are over 48,000 consumer connections for religious places. Over 15,000 of them were consuming less than 30 units

India plans no more funding for Sri Lanka as IMF talks progress: Report

'We have already given $3.8 billion worth of assistance. Now it's all about the IMF'

IND vs SL Asia Cup Super Four Highlights: Sri Lanka win by six wickets

India vs Sri Lanka Asia Cup Super Four Highlights: Sri Lanka won a thrilling encounter as Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dausn Shanaka kept their cool to chase down 174 and win the game by six wickets

Asia Cup IND vs SL: Should India consider Hardik Pandya as fifth bowler?

In a career of 69 matches, Hardik has taken two or more wickets, conceding less than 30 runs on nine occasions. And out of those nine matches, he has played as the fifth bowler only thrice

India, 9 other countries eye Lankan market to sell petroleum items: Report

Sri Lanka's Ministry of Power and Energy has said that 24 companies from 10 countries, including India have evinced interest in selling petroleum products in the crisis-hit country's petroleum sector, according to media reports. Sri Lanka is in the midst of its worst economic crisis in decades, which is triggered by a severe paucity of foreign exchange reserves. Sri Lanka's Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said that 24 companies from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the United States, China, India, Russia, the UK, Malaysia, Norway and the Philippines have submitted proposals for the Expressions of Interest (EOI) to engage in the country's petroleum sector, news portal Colombo Page reported on Sunday. In July, the Ministry of Power and Energy had called for EOI from established companies in petroleum producing countries using their funds for distribution and selling of petroleum products in Sri Lanka on a long-term basis. A ministry-appointed panel will now ..

India slams China, says Sri Lanka needs support, not 'unwanted pressure'

India on Saturday hit back at China for alleging that it was "interfering" in Sri Lanka's internal affairs, firmly telling Beijing that what Colombo needs now was "support, not unwanted pressure or unnecessary controversies" to serve another country's agenda. Hinting at India's objection to the docking of Chinese ballistic missile and satellite tracking ship 'Yuan Wang 5' at the Hambantota port, Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhongon in a statement on Friday said that "external obstruction" based on so-called security concerns without any evidence is a "thorough interference" into the island nation's sovereignty and independence. "We have noted the remarks of the Chinese Ambassador. His violation of basic diplomatic etiquette may be a personal trait or reflecting a larger national attitude," the High Commission of India in Sri Lankan tweeted. It said Qi's view of India may be coloured by how his own country behaves. "India, we assure him, is very different," the Indian miss

Lanka needs support, not 'unwanted pressure' to serve China's agenda: India

Hitting out at China for its remarks on India's objection to the docking of its high-tech ship at Sri Lanka's Hambantota port, New Delhi on Saturday firmly told Beijing that what Colombo needs now is "support, not unwanted pressure or unnecessary controversies" to serve another country's agenda. "We have noted the remarks of the Chinese Ambassador. His violation of basic diplomatic etiquette may be a personal trait or reflecting a larger national attitude," the High Commission of India in Sri Lankan tweeted. It said the Chinese envoy Qi Zhenhong's view of India may be coloured by how his own country behaves. "India, we assure him, is very different," the Indian mission here said. The Ambassador's imputing a geopolitical context to the visit of a purported scientific research vessel is a giveaway, the mission said, adding that "opaqueness and debt driven agendas are now a major challenge, especially for smaller nations. Recent developments are a caution". "Sri Lanka needs support,

India to hand over Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft to Sri Lanka Navy

India will hand over a Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft to Sri Lanka Navy at a ceremony here which will be attended by President Ranil Wickremesinghe

Vice Chief of Indian Navy begins visit to SL; to hand over Dornier aircraft

Days before a Chinese missile and satellite tracking ship docks in Sri Lanka's Hambantota port, Vice Chief of Indian Navy Vice Admiral S N Ghormade began a two-day visit to the island nation on Sunday

Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe thanks PM Modi for India's support

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday thanked India which he said under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi has provided the crisis-hit island nation "a breath of life" in tough times.

PM Narendra Modi congratulates Lanka Prez; assures support in recovery

Wickremesinghe, 73, was on Thursday sworn in as Sri Lanka's eighth president after he was elected by lawmakers

India extended Line of Credit worth $1.85 bn to Sri Lanka in 10 years: EAM

India has extended 8 Lines of Credit (LOCs) to Sri Lanka amounting to USD 1850.64 million in the past 10 years, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said on Friday