Indian Foreign Minister Subramaniam Jaishankar is on a tour of Sri Lanka after Maldives. Here he met several cabinet ministers of Sri Lanka as well as met PM Mahinda Rajapaksa. During this, many projects have been signed between India and Sri Lanka. One of these projects is being talked about a lot. Let’s know about him.
Hybrid power projects in Jaffna
Colombo Gazette has reported in a report that Sri Lanka and India have signed a memorandum of understanding to implement hybrid power projects in Jaffna, which was initially awarded to China. The project was initially awarded to the Chinese MS/Sinosar-ETechwin joint venture but was reconsidered following objections raised by India.
The project site was 50 km away from India
A report in The Hindu states that it had objected to Chinese projects in Jaffna, citing security concerns about their proximity to the South Indian coast. India had expressed concern to the Sri Lankan side over the Chinese project coming up barely 50 km from Tamil Nadu. New Delhi had offered to execute that project with a grant rather than a loan. Now the project has been signed by Jaishankar and his Sri Lankan counterpart GL Peiris. This is the third Indian energy project to come up in the north and east of Sri Lanka.
This is the third Indian power project to come up in the north and east of Sri Lanka, following recent agreements for the National Thermal Power Corporation’s solar venture in eastern Sampur city and the Adani Group’s renewable energy projects in Mannar and Poonrin in the north. Earlier, agreements have been signed on solar ventures of National Thermal Power Corporation in eastern Sampur city and Adani Group’s renewable energy projects in Mannar and Poonrin in the north.
India is with Sri Lanka: Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister Jaishankar has assured India’s continued support in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery process.
He has said that India’s partnership with Sri Lanka is rooted in the ‘neighbourhood first’ approach and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) principle. He further added that India stands with Sri Lanka in all times of need.