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.
The last time this matter flared up was when Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, in a very similar directive in April, called for the relocation of stray dogs in the capital.
Finance ministry says the proposed revamp will focus on structural reforms, rate rationalisation & ease of living, & will be deliberated upon in the coming weeks.
The project is meant to be a ‘protective shield that will keep expanding’, the PM said. It is on the lines of the ‘Golden Dome’ announced by Trump, it is learnt.
Now that both IAF and PAF have made formal claims of having shot down the other’s aircraft in the 87-hour war in May, we can ask a larger question: do such numbers really matter?
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