Entrepot for geopolitics

US investment in Lankan port opens up new opportunities

US government-owned International Development Finance Corporation’s decision to invest $553 million in Colombo West International Terminal Pvt Ltd could be a geopolitical game changer in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Investing more than half in the $789 million project through its financial institution will give the US a strategic presence in one of the largest trans-shipment ports in the IOR, enhancing its larger Indo-Pacific play and offering a bold counter to China’s aggressive expansion in the region via its Maritime Silk Route initiative. Colombo Port West is a year-old consortium majority owned by Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd (51 per