Civilizational twins: India and Sri Lanka seek to forge a future based on trust

When Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited New Delhi in December 2024, it was his first foreign trip after taking office. And when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6, it will be his fourth since assuming office in 2014.

- By P.K. BALACHANDRAN

Modi's last trip to Sri Lanka in 2019 had a great humanitarian significance. It was a gesture of solidarity after the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Colombo and other towns that claimed over 200 lives.

It is clear that the ties between the two countries are deep. The bond is rooted in shared civilizational values and contemporary imperatives. In fact, the two countries are described as "civilizational twins."

On April 5, Modi and Dissanayake will review progress on initiatives outlined in the "Joint Vision for Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future," adopted during Dissanayake's December 2024 visit. Several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) will be exchanged, spanning energy connectivity, digitization, defence cooperation, health, and multi-sectoral aid.

Energy Cooperation

The leaders will virtually launch a solar energy project in Sampur, in Trincomalee district in Eastern Sri Lanka, signalling India's role in supporting Sri Lanka's recovery from its 2022-23 economic crisis and its pursuit of sustainable growth.

In fact, energy cooperation is poised to be a cornerstone of this partnership. India already bolsters Sri Lanka's energy security through the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC), and discussions on additional energy projects are underway.

Visit to Anuradhapura

In recognition of the fact that Buddhism has been the bedrock of the relationship between India and Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Modi would be travelling to Anuradhapura on April 6 along with President Dissanayake to worship at the Bodi tree gifted to Sri Lanka by Indian Emperor Ashoka way back in 236 BC.

The secular aspect of the visit to Anuradhapura will be the inauguration of several India-funded projects in Northern Sri Lanka blending spiritual ties with practical collaboration.

Neighbourhood First Policy