Sri Lanka turns to India as counterbalance to Chinese presence

COLOMBO -- Apparently moving to counter China's formidable presence across Sri Lanka, President Ranil Wickremesinghe's administration is increasingly engaging Indian companies for vital projects.

On Tuesday, the Sri Lankan government said it had approved a 20-year power purchase agreement with India's Adani Green Energy, which will invest $442 million to develop two wind power stations in Mannar and Pooneryn in the north, totaling 484 megawatts. The announcement comes just weeks after the island nation awarded an Indian-Russian joint venture control of the once-dormant Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), built with Chinese funding, and sets the tone for geopolitical maneuvering.