India is ‘closely watching’ the next ‘big step’ that Sri Lanka — in the grips of raging protests — is planning to take in terms of doing away with the presidential system of governance.
Protest village includes a kitchen, medical centre run by Sri Lankan Red Cross, library, art gallery, cinema hall & space for debate. During this week's violence, people ran to protect protestors.
Rajapaksa govt, battling an unprecedented economic crisis, has also sought India's help in extending some of the previous lines of credit till Colombo is able to negotiate a financial package with IMF.
Instability in Pakistan, economic crisis in Sri Lanka, anti-India campaign in Maldives, Taliban in Afghanistan & China’s growing footprint — all these pose long-term risks.
The Rajapaksa government should have shelved some of the China-funded infrastructure projects, which were high on debt servicing and low on revenue earnings.
China is said to be trying ‘to gain maximum advantage’ out of the crisis in Sri Lanka — marked by shortages & power cuts — and is ‘following up’ on measures India is announcing.
During foreign minister G.L. Peiris’s visit to India this week, New Delhi & Colombo also vowed to enhance connectivity & have bilateral groups meet early to resolve fishermen’s problems.
During the virtual meeting, Jaishankar also raised the issue of Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody and urged for their early release as a humanitarian gesture.
Mini deal will likely see no cut in 10% baseline tariff on Indian exports announced by Trump on 2 April, it is learnt, but additional 26% tariffs are set to be reduced.
PTC Industries is investing Rs 1,000 cr in 4 manufacturing plants in UP, has already started supplying titanium parts to BAE Systems for its M-777 howitzers that India also uses.
Public, loud, upfront, filled with impropriety and high praise sometimes laced with insults. This is what we call Trumplomacy. But the larger objective is the same: American supremacy.
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