Articles tagged with “indiasrilankarelations”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Sri Lanka's highest civilian honor, the Mithra Vibhushan, from President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at Independence Square. The ceremony marked a strategic shift as Sri Lanka, historically aligned with China, strengthened ties with India through a fiveyear defense pact on training and intelligence sharing. The move reflects Sri Lanka's balancing act between India's "Neighbourhood First" policy and China's Belt and Road Initiative. Despite deep historical and cultural links, tensions persist, including India's controversial role in Sri Lanka's civil war and China's expanding infrastructure investments. India's $4 billion aid during Sri Lanka's 2022 economic crisis bolstered relations, with trade reaching $5.54 billion in 2023–24. However, disputes over fishing rights and Tamil autonomy remain unresolved. Security cooperation has grown, with joint military exercises and India gifting a Dornier aircraft for maritime surveillance. Sri Lanka also banned foreign research vessels in 2024, addressing Indian concerns over Chinese espionage. President Dissanayake's pragmatic approach underscores Sri Lanka's delicate position amid competing regional influences. As one diplomat noted, "We are not proIndia or proChina. We are prosurvival."