'More Indian involvement in SL economic sector favoured'

A Sri Lankan Minister on Monday favoured more Indian involvement in the island nation's economic sector, saying his country wants to be a stakeholder of India's development.

Mano Ganesan, Sri Lankan Minister of National Integration, Official Languages, Social Progress and Hindu Religious Affairs, said India was already aiding economic activity there by way of transshipment through the Colombo port where nearly 5,000 workers were employed.

"Generally India is booming. It is a faster developing country. Being a neighboiuring country, it is our expectation that we become a stake holder in India's development," he told reporters here.

Asked about India's role in the economic sector of Sri Lanka, Ganesan said "it should go up."
Indo-Lanka politico-economic collaboration should increase as "now Sri Lanka to India is more important than Sri Lanka to China," Ganesan said, even while describing reports of Chinese "take over" of the island nation as "exaggerated."