Modi promotes neighborhood-first policy in Sri Lanka visit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Sri Lanka for a brief visit as part of his first overseas tour since reelection that emphasizes India’s “neighborhood-first policy.”
Modi was received at the airport by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He is also scheduled to hold talks with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and opposition leaders.
India has been concerned with Sri Lanka and the neighboring Maldives leaning toward China, which is seeking more influence in the Indian Ocean region.
Modi arrived from the Maldives, where the new president pledged closer ties with New Delhi in a departure from his predecessor’s pro-Beijing policy.
Modi is due to fly back to New Delhi on Sunday. His last visit to Sri Lanka was in May 2017.
(AP)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters begin union action over unresolved issues October 30, 2024
- Johnston Fernando released on bail October 30, 2024
- Six foreign nationals arrested in Seeduwa for visa violations October 30, 2024
- Postal voting begins for Sri Lanka’s 2024 Parliamentary Election October 30, 2024
- Sri Lanka President outlines plans for economic independence and digital transformation October 29, 2024
PM RW has scored a point; just look at the warm handshake. They drove to Colombo together; all decisions will be made during the journey.
The King is gonna undermine the PM.
Let’s see what he does. Maybe abdicate his duty of presiding over Cabinet.
The King has a good stock of skeletons in his cupboard as demonstrated in the parliamentary Committee.
Pathetically, our PM looks an aging Mafiosi in his Western-attired dark suit, dark glasses, compared to Modi’s simple Indian light colored garb. I am sure Modi is not surprised to see this type of presentment from those Indian-origin politicians from Guyana or Trinidad, but to face this from a close-neighborly political honcho who is supposed to represent a 2,500 year old culture, an ancient culture that has inalienable kinship to India, must be somewhat awkward to him. But then again, is awkwardness not what we have come to expect with this now-proven-inept (read: 21/4 horror) PM of ours?