Connecting with India by land: Political dilemma for Colombo

THE recent official visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi represented a momentous turning point in the diplomatic relations of the two South Asian neighbouring states. Modi is the first foreign head of government to be hosted by President Anura Kumara Disanayake since he took over presidency last September. The visit was characterised by noteworthy developments in terms of enriching the cooperation between the two countries in many spheres.

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Perhaps the most striking outcome of the Indian Premier's visit was the Memorandum of Understanding signed on Defence Cooperation, which intends to enhance and institutionalise bilateral defence cooperation for a period of five years, between the two governments. Although the NPP administration pledged to usher a style of governance based on transparency, the bilateral pact is guarded in secrecy. Few days ago, Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa had remarked the Government needs the consensus of its counterparty to reveal the contents of the landmark defence cooperation agreement. Most of the NPP leaders were extremely anti-Indian in respect of their political views; however, the latest developments suggest that the administration has realised the significance of the relationship with the giant neighbour particularly in the context of the critical assistance extended by New Delhi to Sri Lanka at the height of the 2022 economic crisis as well as India's growing political and economic might.