India’s foreign minister becomes the first such dignitary to visit Sri Lanka since the election

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met Sri Lanka’s newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake Friday in the first such visit of a dignitary since a new government took office in the island nation last month, amid questions over how Dissanayake would balance between regional powers China and India. The two men discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties.

Sri Lanka is located on one of the world’s busiest shipping routes in what India considers part of its strategic backyard. China too has exerted influence in the country in recent years by including it in its Belt and Road project.

“Appreciate his warm sentiments and guidance for the India-Sri Lanka relations. Discussed ways to deepen ongoing cooperation and strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the benefit of people of two countries and the region,” Jaishankar said in a post on the social media site X.

The support of the two regional rivals is crucial for Sri Lanka to emerge from its worst economic crisis in decades, which led to a political calamity and finally paved the way for Dissanayake’s party to come to power.

Beijing was once widely seen as having an upper hand with its free-flowing loans and infrastructure investments. But Colombo’s economic collapse in 2022 provided an opportunity for India, as New Delhi stepped in with massive financial and material assistance including food, fuel and medicines.

At the same time, China’s support to restructure its infrastructure loans to Sri Lanka is vital for Sri Lanka to emerge from its dire economic crisis.

On Friday, India’s top diplomat also met his counterpart Vijitha Herath and “assured him of India’s continued support to Sri Lanka’s economic rebuilding,” in a separate post on his account on