Page 4 - India-sri Lanka

Indians abroad celebrate 76th Republic Day, world leaders extend greetings

An enthusiastic Indian diaspora dressed in vibrant traditional dresses on Sunday celebrated India's 76th Republic Day at the country's missions abroad where the national tri-colour was unfurled with global leaders from Nepal, Australia, Singapore, extending their greetings, highlighting their strong friendship with India. In Beijing, officials and diaspora members attended the flag unfurling ceremony on the premises of the Indian Embassy. India's Ambassador to China Pradeep Rawat read out the important parts of the President's speech. "Ambassador unfurled tri-colour at @EOIBeijing marking the #76thRepublicDay. He also read the Hon'ble President's Republic Day message to Embassy officials and members of the Indian community who attended the ceremony in large numbers. The event also included vibrant cultural performances," the Indian Embassy in China said in a post on X along with some pictures. In Sri Lanka, the island nations' Navy band performed Indian patriotic tunes in a ...

Sri Lanka power project not cancelled, tariff is being re-evaluated: Adani

"Reports that Adani's 484 megawatt (MW) wind power projects in Mannar and Pooneryn have been cancelled are false and misleading," Adani Group spokesperson said

41 Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy return to Chennai Airport

Earlier this month, on January 16, 15 Indian fishermen, also detained by the Sri Lankan Navy, were released and returned to Chennai

15 fishermen released from Sri Lankan prison arrive at Chennai airport

Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department officials received them at the airport and sent them to their respective native places

India to provide grant for supplying police vehicles to Sri Lanka

India would supply vehicles to be used by the Sri Lankan police under a grant, the Indian High Commission here said on Wednesday. Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Santosh Jha and the top bureaucrat in the public security ministry DWRB Seneviratne have signed the MoU for the grant assistance worth Sri Lankan rupees 300 million The project entails supply of at least 80 single cabs, spare parts and accessories to the police stations in Northern Province of Sri Lanka, which will address a vital requirement of Sri Lankan Police related to enhancing safety of citizens and maintenance of law and order, a release said. India's people-centric development cooperation initiatives based on the needs of the people of Sri Lanka and the priorities of the Sri Lanka government are making a tangible difference to the daily lives of the people in all the 25 districts of the country across sectors such as housing, health, education, fisheries, transport, renewable energy, livelihood sustenance, ...

Sri Lanka's India-backed unique ID card project likely to begin by Jan end

Sri Lanka's India-assisted unique ID card project will begin by the end of January, a senior official said on Tuesday, as he mitigated concerns that data from the project would be restricted to the island nation only. The unique digital identity project, a crucial step in Sri Lanka's digitalisation programme, is being implemented with Indian grant assistance. Some SLR 20 billion are needed to implement this project, we aim to receive 50 per cent of that under the Indian assistance programme, Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratna told reporters here. He said that the project will begin by the end of this month. The previous cabinet of President Ranil Wickremesinghe approved the India-funded unique identity card project. India advanced Rs 450 million for the implementation of the project in August 2023. The first phase of the project is to provide for the collection of biographic and biometric information including facial, iris and fingerprints, Weeraratna said. He also

Sri Lankan Navy arrests 8 Indian fishermen for poaching, seizes 2 trawlers

The Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday said it has arrested eight Indian fishermen for allegedly fishing in the island nation's territorial waters and seized two fishing trawlers. The arrests took place on Saturday night "during a special operation conducted in the sea area north of Mannar", it said in a press statement. With this arrest, so far this year 18 Indian fishermen have been arrested and three trawlers confiscated, the statement said. The Navy said "in the dark hours of 11th January", the North Central Naval Command spotted a cluster of Indian fishing boats "engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters. In response, the Northern Naval Command deployed its Fast Attack Craft and North Central Naval Command its Inshore Patrol Craft to drive away those Indian fishing boats poaching in the sea area north of Mannar". "The operation resulted in the seizure of 2 Indian fishing boats and apprehension of 8 Indian fishermen who continued to remain in Sri Lankan waters," it said. The sei

Govt approves Rs 29 cr grant to develop Sri Lanka's north boatyard

India will provide Sri Lankan Rupees 290 million to develop the Karainagar Boatyard in the Northern Province of the island nation, the Indian High Commission said here on Thursday. The project envisages rehabilitation of Karainagar Boatyard of the Cey-Nor Foundation Ltd, incorporated under the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and operating under the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources. An MoU was signed and exchanged by High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha and the then High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Kshenuka Dhireni Senewiratne on December 16, the High Commission said in a release. The project will cover civil works and procurement, including installation of plant, machinery, equipment, material, services etc. Once fully operational, the rehabilitated boatyard will augment livelihood opportunities of local fishermen, create more job opportunities in the area, including through small establishments around the boatyard, and

TN CM Stalin urges Centre for release of 17 fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka

Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday apprised the Centre of the arrest of 17 Tamil Nadu fishermen and seizure of their two boats by Sri Lanka and called for quick steps for their release and the boats as well. Stalin, writing to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, said that 17 fishermen from Rameswaram were arrested and their two mechanised fishing boats were seized by the Sri Lankan Navy on December 24, 2024. Also, Stalin brought to Jaishankar's notice, two separate incidents of attack on fishermen from Kodiyakkarai in Nagapattinam district by 6 unidentified Sri Lankan nationals on December 20. "In this outrageous incident, three out of six fishermen who sailed in two country crafts were injured and their belongings such as GPS equipment, VHF equipment, fishing net, mobile phone and their fish catch were robbed from their fishing boats by the attackers," the CM said in his letter. Such frequent arrests and attacks made the lives of fishermen, who depend solely on fishing in t

Dissanayake's presidency opens new chapter in India-Sri Lanka relations

When India invited left-wing leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake for a visit in February, no one anticipated that the political landscape of Sri Lanka would experience a significant transformation, culminating in his surprising rise to the presidency by the end of the year. The development has brought renewed attention to the dynamics between the two neighbouring countries. Dissanayake, 56, popularly known as AKD, was declared the winner of the presidential election in September, marking a complete revolution from his party-led coalition's vote share of three per cent in 2019 to over 60 per cent. Weeks later, Dissanayake's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People's Power (JVP-NPP) coalition swept the parliamentary elections by winning 159 out of the 225 seats, the first time any party won a two-thirds majority under the proportional representation system introduced in 1978. The NPP also dominated the Jaffna electoral district the heartland of the nation's Tamil minority. India's

Sri Lanka to focus on $1 bn Adani projects, unconcerned about global issues

Sri Lanka decided to review two projects worth about $1 billion linked to the Adani Group after US authorities last month accused Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani and seven others

SL secures tax relief deal with IMF, imports to resume in 2025: Dissanayake

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Wednesday announced that Sri Lanka has achieved flexibility with the IMF on its rigid state revenue tax regime, something that was part of his election promise. Also, import of private cars -- banned from 2020 -- would be allowed from February 2025, Dissanayake, who is also the Minister of Finance, told the parliament. Speaking about the agreements reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during its third review of the USD 2.9 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), the president said his government has been able to raise the tax threshold. We have been able to raise the tax threshold of pay as you earn (PAYE tax) so that those who have bigger incomes pay more while those who earn pay less, Dissanayake said, adding there would be other VAT exemptions and withholding tax on interest incomes for the retired. An income of Rs 1,50,000 per month will be tax free, Dissanayake said referring to the current free amount upto only Rs 1,00,000. F

Dissanayake's India visit marks positive shift in Sri Lanka's foreign ties

On Monday, statements from Mr Dissanayake assured India that he would not allow Sri Lankan territory to be used in a way that would be detrimental to India's interests

Watch: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visits Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya

Watch: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visits Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar.

India to continue backing Sri Lanka's sustainable economic growth: Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said India would continue to support sustainable economic development of Sri Lanka as its close and trusted partner. Welcoming Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka and his delegation to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, she congratulated him for his victory in the recent presidential and parliamentary elections. President Murmu also hosted a banquet in his honour. She said that Sri Lanka is an important part of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and SAGAR Vision, according to a statement issued by her office. President Murmu said that as a close and trusted partner, India would continue to support the Sri Lankan government's efforts for the sustainable economic development of Sri Lanka. Disanayaka, who is on a three-day visit to India, held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day. As a trusted and reliable partner, India has conveyed its continued commitment to working closely with Sri Lanka in advancing its defen

Won't permit Sri Lankan territory to be used against India: Prez Disanayaka

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka on Monday clearly conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the island nation's soil will not be allowed for use against India's interests, an assurance that came amid concerns in New Delhi over China's attempts to increase its influence over Colombo. Disanayaka, on a three-day visit to India, held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Modi that saw both sides deciding to soon conclude a defence cooperation agreement and ramp up energy ties by establishing electricity grid connectivity and multi-product petroleum pipelines. In his media statement, Modi said he and the Sri Lankan president were in "full agreement" that security interests of both the countries are interconnected and it was decided to quickly finalise the security cooperation agreement. Modi conveyed to Disanayaka India's consistent support to the island nation in its quest for economic recovery and stability. Sri Lanka was reeling under a massive economic crisis two ..

Sri Lanka President's India tour: Energy, defence ties to be ramped up

The proposal for establishing a pipeline between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka is expected to ensure an affordable and reliable supply of fuel to Sri Lanka

India to supply LNG to Sri Lankan power plants, connect power grids

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is on a three-day visit to India for bilateral talks centred around economic cooperation, defence collaboration, and energy connectivity

PM Modi holds talks with Sri Lanka Prez Dissanayake over trade, defence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday held extensive talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka, focusing on further shoring up India-Sri Lankan cooperation in a range of areas, including defence, trade and investment. The Sri Lankan leader arrived in Delhi on Sunday, his first foreign trip after becoming president in September. Ahead of the talks, Disanayaka was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. "An extensive agenda encompassing trade, investment, development and security cooperation will be discussed," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on 'X' ahead of the Modi-Disanayaka talks. On Sunday, the Sri Lankan leader held separate meetings with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval. The Sri Lankan leader will also meet President Droupadi Murmu. Disanayaka is scheduled to attend a business event in Delhi to promote investment and commercial linkages between India and Sri Lanka. He is also scheduled to visit

Sri Lanka key to Neighbourhood First policy: Jaishankar tells Dissanayake

He further affirmed confidence that President Dissanayake's talks with Prime Minister Modi today will lead to greater cooperation