Page 4 - India-sri Lanka

Govt assisting five nations develop early warning systems, says IMD chief

India is helping Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Mauritius develop early warning systems to reduce the loss of life and property due to extreme weather events, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra has said. In a conversation with PTI editors, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) director general said India will play the role of a big brother and a peer advisor to Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Mauritius in the efforts to guard against the impact of extreme weather events. India's efforts are part of the 'Early Warnings for All' initiative announced by the United Nations in 2022 to ensure that everyone is protected from hazardous weather, water or climate events through life-saving early warning systems by the end of 2027. Mohapatra said India is helping five of the 30 countries identified across the world for the first phase of the initiative of establishing early warning systems. "Fifty per cent of the countries do not have an early warning system. The poor .

Katchatheevu conundrum: Can disputed island set tone for campaigning in TN?

Katchatheevu, located northeast of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and southwest of Sri Lanka's Delft island, has been a subject of dispute between the two countries since 1921

'No ground' for India's request for return of Katchatheevu: Lanka minister

The statements coming out of India on "reclaiming" Kachchatheevu island from Sri Lanka have "no ground", the Sri Lankan Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda has said. The senior Sri Lankan Tamil politician's comments came days after the Narendra Modi government targeted the Congress Party and its ally the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu accusing them of overlooking national interests in the ceding of Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974. The BJP has also been targeting the two parties for not ensuring the rights of the fishermen wanting to fish in waters around the Katchatheevu island. It is the election time in India, it is not unusual to hear such noises of claims and counterclaims about Kachchatheevu," Devananda told reporters in Jaffna on Thursday. I think India is acting on its interests to secure this place to ensure Sri Lankan fishermen would not have any access to that area and that Sri Lanka should not claim any rights in that resourceful area, Devanan

Congress callously gave away 'Katchatheevu' island, can't ever trust it: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday cited a media report to assert that new facts reveal that the Congress "callously" gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka. "Eye opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away Katchatheevu. This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people's minds- we can't ever trust Congress," he said on X, sharing the report. The BJP is hopeful that the issue will come handy to its efforts to gain political traction in Dravidian state as it gears up for the Lok Sabha polls. The report is based on a RTI reply Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai received on the decision of the then Indira Gandhi government in 1974 to hand over the territory in Palk Strait to the neighbouring country. Modi said, "Weakening India's unity, integrity and interests has been Congress' way of working for 75 years and counting." The report also cites first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's comments on the issue, a source of dispute between India an

India provides grants to build houses in Buddhist sacred town of Sri Lanka

India has signed an additional grant of Sri Lanka Rupees 150 million to build houses and infrastructure facilities in the Buddhist sacred town of Anuradhapura, the Indian High Commission has said. Santosh Jha, the High Commissioner of India, and the relevant Sri Lankan officials on March 21 exchanged letters about the grant to the island nation. With this, the Indian government's total commitment to the project currently stands at SLR 450 million for the construction of houses and infrastructure facilities in Sobitha Thero village of Anuradhapura. The late Sobhitha Thero was an iconic Buddhist monk in the island nation's good governance movement. Responding to the drastic changes in the economic landscape of Sri Lanka, the Government of India decided to infuse additional funds into nine ongoing grant projects to expeditiously complete these projects, while also minimising the impact of the sharp rise in the cost of construction materials on the original scope of projects. The exten

Sri Lankan Prez Wickremesinghe instructs Cabinet to prepare for elections

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed his Cabinet to prepare for the presidential election to be held later this year, as the cash-starved nation strives to recover from its worst economic crisis. The next presidential election must be called by the elections commission by September and must be held by mid-November. The parliament election is not due before August of 2025 but President Wickremesinghe has the power to hold it anytime now by dissolving the 225-member Assembly elected in August 2020. Ending speculation, Wickremesinghe during a Cabinet meeting on Monday announced that the presidential election will be held first and instructed it to prepare for the polls, news portal Daily Mirror reported on Tuesday, quoting sources. Citing the Constitution, Wickremesinghe, 74, said the presidential election should take place first, and arrangements will be made accordingly. The election will be the first held after Sri Lanka plunged into a severe economic crisis in

IOR poised to become economic hub in next 50-60 years: Wickremesinghe

The Indian Ocean region is experiencing tremendous growth and is poised to become a significant economic hub in the next 50 to 60 years, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, calling for extensive trade and economic ties between the island nation and India. Addressing a gathering at the Sri Lanka-India Society in Colombo on Thursday to mark the 76th Independence Day of Sri Lanka and the 75th Republic Day of India, Wickremesinghe said that nations such as India, Indonesia, Iran and Saudi Arabia have a greater role to play in the Indian Ocean region and they have been rapidly advancing in various aspects. "The Indian Ocean region is experiencing significant growth, with countries like India, Indonesia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia rapidly advancing in various aspects. The Indian Ocean region is poised to become a significant economic hub in the next 50 to 60 years, especially as the African region undergoes development," he said. "It is imperative that we initiate this endeavo

Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, among countries looking to start rupee trade: Goyal

Many developed and developing countries including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and nations of the Gulf region are keen to start trade in rupee with India as it would help cut transaction costs for businesses, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said. He expressed confidence that the development is going to be a "very game-changing" dimension to India's international trade. "Bangladesh, Sri Lanka are already talking to us and they want us to start this immediately. Other countries in the Gulf region are looking at that. I think it'll take some time for people to see the benefits. And then we'll have more and more developed countries and countries in the Far East also joining the bandwagon. Singapore is already on board to some extent," he said. The minister added that gradually countries are realising that undertaking trade in domestic currencies has several advantages. The minister said that it is now picking up traction and a lot of countries have come forward for this ...

Sri Lankan minister calls India 'big brother', thanks PM Modi for aid

Highlighting the development of Sri Lanka, he said, "Tourism is flourishing in Sri Lanka. We are looking at the renewables and the ports and the real estate in Sri Lanka is developing"

UPI payments launched in Sri Lanka, Mauritius to boost economic ties

India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services were on Monday rolled out in Sri Lanka and Mauritius during a virtual ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top leadership of the two island nations. Mauritian PM Pravind Jugnauth and Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe joined Modi at the virtual ceremony. The launch of the Indian services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius came amid New Delhi's increasing bilateral economic ties with the two countries. The launch enables the availability of UPI settlement services for Indian nationals travelling to Sri Lanka and Mauritius as well as for Mauritian nationals travelling to India.

Third offshore campus of IIT likely to be set up in Sri Lanka: Report

The third offshore campus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is likely to be set up in Sri Lanka, according to sources. The proposal for an IIT in Sri Lanka was announced last November in the 2024 Budget unveiled by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who also serves as the finance minister. According to sources, the Sri Lankan government is in touch with IIT Madras for the ambitious project. A high-level delegation had recently visited the Chennai campus to discuss the future roadmap. The talks are on and the campus is likely to come up in Kandy, a source said. The delegation also visited the Research Park at the campus and interacted with officials about possible areas of engagement, the source added. The Indian government had announced that opportunities for admission to the IITs in India will be provided to meritorious Sri Lankan students from the 2017-18 academic sessions onwards. If the plan for the Sri Lanka campus comes through, it will be IIT

SL Navy arrests 19 Indian fishermen for illegally fishing in its waters

Sri Lanka has arrested 19 Indian fishermen and two trawlers for illegally fishing in the island nation's waters near Delft Island in northern Jaffna province, the country's Navy said on Thursday, in the second such incident this month. The Sri Lanka Navy in the operation with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard on Wednesday also seized 2 Indian trawlers alongside the arrest of 19 Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters, the Navy said in a statement. The apprehended fishermen and their two trawlers were escorted to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for further action, it said. The Navy continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practised by foreign fishermen as they have a direct impact on the livelihood of locals, it said. As an extension of these operations, the Northern Naval Command deployed Fast Attack Craft of the Navy and Coast Guard to chase away a cluster of Indian poachin

12 Tamil Nadu fishermen released from Sri Lanka, 11 still held in detention

"They were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing near Delft island, and subsequently taken to Myalati Naval Camp, Jaffna for further investigation," an official stated

Sri Lanka arrests 23 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in its waters

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 23 Indian fishermen and seized two trawlers for allegedly poaching in the island nation's waters, according to an official statement here. The fishermen were arrested, and their two trawlers were seized on Saturday north of the Delft Island, Jaffna, the Sri Lanka Navy said in a press release on Sunday. The 23 apprehended fishermen and their two trawlers were escorted to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for further action, it said. "The Sri Lanka Navy conducted a special operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters on the night of February 3, 2024. The operation resulted in the seizure of 2 Indian trawlers and the apprehension of 23 Indian nationals poaching in the northern waters of Sri Lanka, off the Delft Island in Jaffna, the statement said. The Navy conducts regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices by foreign fishing ...

Sri Lanka's Marxist party to make official visit to India on Monday

A delegation of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a MarxistLeninist communist party in Sri Lanka, will on Monday start on an official visit to India. The delegation of JVP, the largest party under the broad entity National People's Power (NPP), is to leave Colombo tomorrow (Monday) for India on an official invitation of the Indian government," a statement from the party said. The delegation to India comprises JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, senior legislator Vijitha Herath, Secretary Nihal Abeysinghe and executive committee member Prof Anil Jayantha, the statement said. The JVP, which led an anti-India campaign in 1987-90 against the Indo-Lanka Accord, has continuously led in at least one public opinion poll. Its NPP broader front has led in surveys, leaving the island nation's main parties trailing. The surveys claim that in the post-economic crisis phase since 2022, the NPP has gained significantly in public support, particularly in anti-corruption perceptions. Dissanayake

India proposes supplying LNG to our power facilities: Sri Lanka's minister

'In the efforts to expedite the process to generate power from LNG the Government of India has proposed an interim solution from Petronet LNG,' Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said

Jaishankar calls on SL Prez Wickremesinghe, discusses bilateral initiatives

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday called on Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and discussed the progress of bilateral initiatives. Jaishankar is in the Ugandan capital city of Kampala to represent India at the two-day summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which began on Friday. "Pleased to call on Sri Lankan President @RW_UNP on the sidelines of the NAM Summit in Kampala," Jaishankar posted on X. "Appreciate his continued guidance for the advancement of our bilateral initiatives. India's commitment is reflected in our Neighbourhood First and SAGAR policy," he said. India's Neighbourhood First policy guides its approach towards the management of relations with countries in its immediate neighbourhood. It is aimed at enhancing physical, digital and people-to-people connectivity across the region, as well as augmenting trade and commerce. Sri Lanka was hit by a catastrophic financial crisis in 2022, the worst since its independence from Britain in 1948, d

India, Sri Lanka discuss early launch of UPI payment system in country

Six months after it was announced by the prime ministers of both countries, India has discussed the early launch of the UPI payment system with Sri Lanka and reiterated its support in the cash-strapped island nation's debt restructuring process. In July 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe signed an agreement on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) acceptance in Sri Lanka during Wickremesinghe's two-day visit to India. The latest discussion took place on Monday during a meeting between the High Commissioner of India Santosh Jha with the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe. High Commissioner reiterated that #India will continue to be a steadfast partner in Lanka's economic recovery in his meeting with @CBSL Governor. Discussed early launch of UPI payment system in SL, growth in INR trade settlements, and India's support in Lanka's debt restructuring process, said a post on X by the High Commissioner of India

India to help Sri Lanka with upgradation of railways; to cost $91.27 mn

India and Sri Lanka have together launched multiple works costing USD 91.27 million across the island nation to upgrade the railway network which will enhance the mobility of goods and services and boost economic activity. Sri Lanka's Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media Dr Bandula Gunawardena and High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha ceremonially launched the multiple works on Sunday, a release from the office of the High Commission of India said here. Minister of Transport Gunawardena thanked India for the support extended to Sri Lanka, especially in the transport sector. The Indian High Commissioner expressed happiness that as a long-standing development partner of Sri Lanka, India had executed projects for the development and rehabilitation of Sri Lanka's Northern and Southern Railway line over the past several years in line with the priorities and requirements of the Government of Sri Lanka. Jha also underscored the importance of the modernisation of ..

India, Sri Lanka agree to expedite action on projects to boost relations

India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha met Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Sabry and agreed to expedite various projects that will provide positive momentum to the India-Sri Lanka partnership.Sharing on his social media X, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha stated, "Very pleased and honoured to have my first call on Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka HE @alisabrypcNoted the extraordinary warmth in India-Sri Lanka ties and agreed that expeditious action on various projects is important to keep the strong positive momentum in our partnership."Earlier on Thursday, Santosh Jha held a meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry and discussed ways and means to further enhance bilateral cooperation.In a post shared on X, Sabry said, "Pleased to have received the newly appointed High Commissioner of #India to #SriLanka Santosh Jha this morning. Recalling deep-rooted civilizational links between #SriLanka & #India, we discussed ways ...