Ranil Wickremesinghe To Visit India On July 20-21, First After Becoming Sri Lankan President

During his visit, Ranil Wickremesinghe will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will be on a two-day visit to India from July 20 and 21 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the country's foreign ministry in a statement on Tuesday. During his visit, both the leaders of the nation will hold bilateral talks and President Wickremesinghe will meet his Indian counterpart Droupadi Murmu. "The visit takes place as both countries celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year," the statement read. 

"The visit will further advance and consolidate the long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries," the ministry said. 

It will be Wickremesinghe's first visit to India after becoming the President of Sri Lanka following a major economic and political crisis last year that saw widespread protests by common people who stormed into President's Palace that eventually led to then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's escape to Maldives and then to Singapore.    

The visit comes at a time when Sri Lanka once again seems to tilt towards China, whom the experts blamed for the country's soaring crisis, while India continues to extend assistance addressing the economic crisis under its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. 

Last year alone, India offered assistance of about $4 billion to Sri Lanka through multiple credit lines and currency support. In March this year, New Delhi extended the tenure of a $1 billion credit line facility, given in March 2022, till March 2024.

It was due to India’s hard lobbying that Sri Lanka managed to secure a bailout package worth $2.9 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for which Colombo did thank New Delhi. The IMF package stipulates that Sri Lanka restructure its debt by negotiating with the creditors – India, China and Japan.

Colombo, however, said it will remain neutral on the subject of growing tensions between New Delhi and Beijing, and wants both countries to talk to each other and resolve their differences.

The upcoming visit by Wickremesinghe will see discussions on how Colombo will continue to balance its interests between the two sparring neighbours.

Confirming the visit, Ministry of External Affairs called Sri Lanka "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," read a statement by the MEA issued on Tuesday.