Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe in India: What to expect from the visit

A year after assuming the post of Sri Lanka’s president, Ranil Wickremesinghe is in India from 20-21 July. During the visit, the Sri Lankan president will meet his Indian counterpart, Droupadi Murmu, as well as hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian dignitaries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Tuesday (18 July). “Sri Lanka is an important partner in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision SAGAR. The visit will reinforce the longstanding friendship between the two countries and explore avenues for enhanced connectivity and mutually beneficial cooperation across sectors,” the MEA said. As Wickremesinghe undertakes his first official visit to India as Sri Lankan president, here’s what to expect. What’s on the agenda? As per media reports, enhancing cooperation on energy connectivity and economic integration can be on the cards during the Sri Lankan president’s visit. Last week, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Ali Sabry said the two sides will discuss renewable energy projects, a potential oil refinery, a port in eastern Trincomalee and an energy hub, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP). According to Deccan Herald (DH), India and Sri Lanka are likely to revive talks on laying an undersea oil pipeline connecting the two neighbours. [caption id=“attachment_12888602” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Ranil Wickremesinghe, then prime minister of Sri Lanka, met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in 2016 at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Reuters File Photo[/caption] India’s plan to establish a special economic zone at Trincomalee on the island nation’s northeastern coast can also figure in the bilateral talks, as per the Indian newspaper. “India is keen to support Sri Lanka’s plan for developing Trincomalee as an energy hub”, a source in New Delhi told DH. Sri Lanka has expressed interest in joining the Indian electricity grid through undersea pipelines, noted Indian Express. This issue could surface during Wickremesinghe’s visit. Debt restructuring Sri Lanka was hit by an unprecedented economic crisis last year that triggered political chaos in the island nation. Months of protests resulted in the ouster of Wickremesinghe’s predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2022. Following this, Wickremesinghe was elected by Parliament to serve the remaining two-and-a-half years of Gotabaya’s tenure.

While new Sri Lankan leaders visit India within weeks of assuming office, Wickremesinghe’s trip to the country has come exactly after a year he became president.

In January this year, India was the first creditor nation to convey the financial assurances required for Colombo to secure a $2.9 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Although Sri Lanka defaulted on its foreign debt last year, New Delhi stepped up and provided nearly $4 billion through multiple credit lines and currency support. “Without India’s help Sri Lanka could have degenerated into anarchy,” political commentator Victor Ivan told AFP. “The president will not only have to show gratitude, but reassure that we will not do anything to hurt them,” he added. [caption id=“attachment_12888612” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Anti-government protests engulfed Sri Lanka last year. Reuters File Photo[/caption] In March, China, Sri Lanka’s biggest bilateral creditor, gave its much-awaited financing assurances. Sri Lanka’s total debt is over $83 billion, of which $41.5 billion is external and $42.1 billion is domestic, noted Associated Press (AP). Sri Lanka needs a green light from all its creditors, including India and China, on debt restructuring. Thus, debt talks could also be on the agenda as Wickremesinghe visits New Delhi, reported AFP. Thilina Panduwawala, head of economic research at Frontier Research, a Sri Lanka-based macro advisory firm, told AFP that as Colombo is seeking to finalise external debt-restructuring by September, India’s continued support is “essential in the near term”. Wickremesinghe’s visit is coming at a time when Sri Lanka’s troubled economy has finally exhibited signs of recovery, according to Indian Express. Allaying China fears Sri Lanka cannot ignore China to whom it owed nearly US$7.3 billion by the end of 2022. However, the bonhomie between the two nations has concerned New Delhi. A $1.4 billion land reclamation project near Colombo port has spurred fears in India that it could be used as a “listening post” by China, reported AFP. Last August, India raised alarm after China’s Yuan Wang 5, described as a “scientific research vessel” by Beijing and Colombo, docked at Hambantota port. New Delhi said it was a “surveillance” ship with strategic capabilities. Sri Lanka has tried to allay some of these fears. In June, Wickremesinghe rebuffed speculations of Chinese military bases in Sri Lanka during his visit to France. “No, we have no military agreements with China,” he told the France24 TV network. “There won’t be any military agreements. I don’t think China enters into one. We are a neutral country, but we also emphasise on the fact that we cannot allow Sri Lanka to be used as a base for any threats against India,” AFP quoted the Sri Lankan president as saying. Sri Lanka’s 13th Amendment In a letter dated 17 July, Sri Lanka’s Tamil National Alliance (TNA) urged Prime Minister Modi to press Wickremesinghe to fulfill the government’s pledge to India regarding devolution of powers. Passed in November 1987, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka mandates the devolution of power from Colombo to nine provincial councils. This amendment was the outcome of the 1987 India-Sri Lanka Accord, signed by then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan president JR Jayewardene. However, this legislation has never been fully implemented, with the governments in Sri Lanka holding back land and police powers, as per Indian Express. India has regularly called for the “full implementation” of the legislation, noted The Hindu. Elections to the provinces of Sri Lanka are also overdue, with the terms of the elected councils ending in 2018 and 2019. A source told DH that provincial elections and devolution of power could be a part of discussions between Modi and Wickremesinghe. With inputs from agencies