How the Past Has Returned in Full Circle with the Visit of Sri Lankan President Dissanayake to India

 

How the Past Has Returned in Full Circle with the Visit of Sri Lankan President Dissanayake to India

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the recently elected president of Sri Lanka, is making his second trip to New Delhi within a mere 10 months. However, this visit carries a significant distinction compared to the last.

A decade prior, during the time when a National People’s Power (NPP) delegation, headed by Dissanayake, ventured to the Indian capital, the political atmosphere was filled with uncertainty for him and his associates, despite the potential that lay ahead. At that point, no election date had been established for the island nation. Nonetheless, Delhi was acutely aware of the evolving political dynamics in Sri Lanka and speculated about the likelihood of Dissanayake ascending to the presidency when the elections were eventually announced. 

Consider this a wise or timely decision; Delhi’s initial invitation was a carefully thought-out risk. It was opportune to engage with the 55-year-old Marxist leader, who began to gain the trust of many Sri Lankans. However, he was leading a political party that harbored longstanding anti-India feelings.

The upcoming visit on December 15 stands out as it will mark Dissanayake’s inaugural international trip as the new president of the island. He is scheduled to engage in bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. The Sri Lankan leader will be joined by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando.

In recent years, India has significantly invested in Sri Lanka’s infrastructure and will aim to enhance commercial ties with Colombo, even with China being the island’s largest bilateral lender.

Delhi is also mindful that the leftist president will need to navigate carefully to avoid being ensnared in the rivalry between India and China. This is a stance that Dissanayake has consistently maintained, emphasizing the NPP’s willingness to engage with both Beijing and India without favoring one over the other.

Without a doubt, Delhi will extend a warm welcome and strive to maintain harmony with a government that is still in the process of establishing itself. India has expressed dissatisfaction regarding the new government's limited interaction since September; however, the fact that the president’s first overseas visit is to Delhi serves as a testament to the NPP’s foresight and implies a desire to cultivate improved relations.

The new government recognizes India’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, initially through a loan of $4 billion and humanitarian assistance following the economic crisis of 2022, as well as its supportive involvement in facilitating a bailout with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help rebuild the economy.

Dissanayake has acknowledged India’s geostrategic interests in Sri Lanka and has expressed a willingness to navigate issues without adopting a confrontational approach.

The bilateral discussions are anticipated to cover contentious topics, particularly since Dissanayake himself has voiced opposition to some of them during his time in the opposition, such as the pending Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), the establishment of a land corridor between the two countries, the development of the Trincomalee harbor as a regional energy hub, a widely debated free trade agreement, and the controversial Gautam Adani projects.