New Delhi: New Delhi: With the hope of help, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe may visit India this month to meet his counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and other delegations could discuss the financial aid provided by India, sources said.
After swearing-in as Sri Lanka’s 26th prime minister on Thursday, Ranil Wickremesinghe thanked India for its economic assistance to the island country amidst the crisis. Wickremesinghe mentioned that the country looks forward to having closer relations with India during his term.
According to a media report, India is expected to transfer another $500 million line of credit to Sri Lanka for the month of June, which will be utilized to procure essential commodities and fuel. Since January 2022, India has committed more than $3 billion to debt-ridden Sri Lanka in loans, credit lines, and credit swaps.
Sri Lanka, an island country with a population of 22 million, has finally fallen to China’s debt-trap diplomacy. Protestors with banners and hoardings were seen on the streets of Colombo, the country’s capital. Protesters blocked the Nawala-Nugegoda road on May 13 amid Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic turmoil. The ongoing protest has shut down the Kirulapone junction, causing heavy traffic congestion on the Nawala-Nugegoda route. Protesters demand that cooking gas be delivered to them right away.
(Smit Soni)
