Sri Lankan leader to visit India in delicate balancing act

[Gibbs]

Sri Lankan leader to visit India in delicate balancing act

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FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2015 file photo, Sri Lanka's then-incoming President Maithripala Sirisena waves to supporters as he leaves the election secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s leader was to visit neighboring India on Friday, May 13, 2016 for a second state visit in 17 months, underscoring his island nation’s delicate efforts to balance relations with regional superpowers India and China. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)


COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka's leader was to visit neighboring India on Friday for a second state visit in 17 months, underscoring his island nation's delicate efforts to balance relations with regional superpowers India and China.

President Maithripala Sirisena, returning to the region from Britain, was expected to arrive in New Delhi in time to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi for dinner. On Saturday, the two men plan to participate in Kumbh Mela, a Hindu religious ritual of plunging into a river believed wash away sins.

His visit comes a month after Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe traveled to China and agreed to resume work that had been suspended on a $1.5 billion Chinese-funded Port City, a project that has made India uneasy.

Neither government gave details about what the two leaders planned to discuss, with India saying only that it was confident the visit would strengthen their "close and cooperative" ties.

The two countries share deep ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious ties, but also have a history of tumultuous relationship.

Sri Lanka's decades-old civil war involving ethnic Tamil rebels was particularly sensitive to India, which has a large Tamil community. India's intervention in 1987 to solve a separatist insurgency led to the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by a rebel suicide bomber. India also lost hundreds of its peacekeeping forces sent to teardrop-shaped island.

Ties have warmed recently. Sirisena chose India for his first state visit after being elected early last year. Soon after, Modi became the first Indian prime minister to make a bilateral visit to Sri Lanka in 28 years.

Sirisena's government also suspended the Chinese port project championed by his predecessor, strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had a heavy pro-China leaning. At the time, Sirisena's government said there was a lack of proper study on the environmental impact of building a city — with a golf course, marinas, apartments and shopping malls — on an artificial island just outside the port of Colombo.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had launched the project during a visit to the island in 2013. Sri Lanka's decision to restart the project was seen a way of reassuring China while simultaneously growing closer to India. Sri Lanka is also likely to court more Chinese investment to resuscitate an ailing economy burdened by heavy debt.

Sri Lankan officials have said changes were made to the original plan to minimize environmental impact, but have not made that assessment public. They also scrapped a controversial plan to give outright land ownership to China, saying they would instead offer the land on a 99-year lease.

India had expressed concern over the project, which would allow a heavy Chinese presence in a country geographically set apart from India only by the narrow Palk Strait.

Sirisena's visit also comes at a time of heavy opposition in Sri Lanka to a proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement, which critics say could allow unemployed Indians to flood Sri Lankan professions such as information technology and health sectors.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/sri-lank...-delicate-balancing-act-011105087.html?ref=gs

 

[Dr Gupta]

Second visit in 17 months is productive and he seems to genuinely want to take the relationship to higher levels.

 

[HeinzG]

There is nothing to expect from that trip.

 

[Gibbs]

Sri Lanka President to visit Sanchi tomorrow
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena will visit Sanchi in neighbouring Raisen district tomorrow to take part in a programme of Mahabodhi Society.

By: PTI | Bhopal | Published: May 13, 2016 5:01 PM

The President will also perform puja and pay his respect to the relics of Budhha’s disciple on the occasion. He is also likely to visit the world famous Sanchi Stupa, one of the ancient stupas in the country. (Reuters)

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena will visit Sanchi in neighbouring Raisen district tomorrow to take part in a programme of Mahabodhi Society.

Sirisena will spend nearly an hour at Mahabodhi Society premises in Sanchi and unveil the statue of Sri Lankan Buddhist leader Angarika Dharmapala, who played a major role in the revival of Buddhism in India, Coordinator of Society, S A Siddiqui told PTI.

The President will also perform puja and pay his respect to the relics of Budhha’s disciple on the occasion. He is also likely to visit the world famous Sanchi Stupa, one of the ancient stupas in the country.

He is likely to arrive at Sanchi directly from Ninora in Ujjain district after taking part in the International Vichar Kumbh being organised on the occasion of month-long Simhastha (Kumbh) mela.

“From Sanchi, the President will come back to Bhopal airport and leave for his onward journey,” Deputy Inspector General Bhopal, Raman Singh said.

As a precautionary measure, alternate route plan for the President’s way from Sanchi to Bhopal has been prepared and a “Safe House” too has been organised in case of any exigency, the officer said.

Nearly 700 security personnel of different ranks have been deployed for ensuring Sirisena’s security in view of his threat perception.

http://www.financialexpress.com/art...ka-president-to-visit-sanchi-tomorrow/254679/

 

[Godman]

this isnt a major trip but its rather significant

http://newsfirst.lk/english/2016/05/sl-india-focus-creating-common-economic-zone/136709

The leaders of Sri Lanka and India have drawn their attention towards creating a common economic zone.

President Maithripala Sirisena who is on an official visit to India had bilateral discussions with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This was the sixth meeting of President Maithripala Sirisena with the Indian Premier, during a span of fifteen months.

During the discussion, the Indian Premier assured every support to Sri Lanka to make the reconciliation programme successful.

The President’s Media Division said the leaders also had discussions on establishing an Allopathic Medicine Investment Zone in Sri Lanka, with assistance of the Indian government.

With the establishment of this zone, Sri Lanka will be able to produce all the required medicine from within the country. Attention was also paid on enhancing of the economic, commercial and cultural relations between the two countries.

President Maithripala Sirisena also attended the International Conference as the Chief Guest held on Kumbh Mela in Ujjain.

He was accompanied by the Indian Prime Minister.

Speaking to the gathering, the President has commented on the link between Hinduism and Buddhism and relations between the two countries.

The Indian Foundation has pointed out that, under the leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena, the longstanding relationship between India and Sri Lanka has entered into a new path while further strengthening it. The representatives of the Indian Foundation made these remarks when they met the president in India on Friday.

 

[HeinzG]

I don't know whether India would agree to establish the medicine investment zone in the expense of their own pharmaceutical companies. Moreover it's just only a speculation.

Moreover I don't know why Sri Lanka cannot create their own pharmaceutical industry without any one's assistance.