2. The high-speed ferry operated by the Shipping Corporation of India has a capacity of 150 pax. The distance of about 60 nm (110 Km) between Nagapattinam and KKS will be covered in approx. 3.5 hours depending on sea conditions. In order to commence the service, the Government of India supported the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board in upgrading facilities at the Nagapattinam port. Similarly, the Government of Sri Lanka has created necessary infrastructure at the port of KKS.
3. The Government of India’s efforts to start the ferry service are in line with the Government’s priority to enhance connectivity with neighbours and in the wider Indian Ocean Region. A direct passenger ferry between Sri Lanka and India will provide an efficient and cost-effective means of travel for the people of the two countries, boost tourism and trade links and strengthen people-to people ties. The ferry will also enhance economic activity around the two ports and invigorate local economies.
4. It may be recalled that direct air connectivity between Chennai and Jaffna, which was suspended during the Covid pandemic, was resumed in December 2022. Enhancing direct connectivity with the Northern Province of Sri Lanka complements Government of India’s other ongoing development initiatives in the region.
5. This special occasion was addressed by Prime Minister of India and President of Sri Lanka through a video message. The milestone event was flagged off jointly by Honble Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation and External Affairs Minister of the Government of India earlier today. Vessel Cheriyapani traveled with 50 passengers on its inaugural journey to Sri Lanka and will return back to India by evening with passengers from Sri Lanka.

   6. The Governments of India and Sri Lanka will continue to work towards commencement of ferry services between other ports, including the traditional route between Rameswaram- Talaimannar.
   New Delhi

October 14, 2023

The project, which was announced during president Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to India in July, is expected to help Sri Lanka improve its energy security at an affordable cost.

Among other things, the meetings are expected to touch on the physical alignment of the petroleum pipeline. A proposal, currently under discussion, is for the pipeline to run from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu to Jaffna in Northeast Sri Lanka. However, these proposals are understood to be at a preliminary stage. The aim of the pipeline will be to improve Sri Lanka’s energy security at an affordable cost.

The talks follow the 2022 economic crisis that left the island-nation facing crippling shortages of energy. Widespread power cuts and fuel shortages fuelled public discontent, which led to the fall of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government, paving the way for Wickremesinghe.

Sri Lanka is among a number of South Asian neighbours with which India is attempting to build energy connectivity. In 2019, India and Nepal inaugurated the Motihari-Amlekhgunj pipeline, which runs for 69 km between India’s Motihari and Nepal’s Amlekhgunj.

The pipeline, built with Indian assistance and led by Indian Oil Corporation, has a capacity of 2 million tonnes per annum.

India and Bangladesh inaugurated a ‘friendship pipeline’ this year for transporting high-speed diesel. To be sure, the project, announced in 2015, is just the second cross-border energy pipeline in the region.

India has also made other efforts to provide energy security to neighbouring countries through the provision of cross-border power supply. This will see India and Sri Lanka try to link their power grids in an effort to create a more robust energy trade market in South Asia. Mint had reported on this development in January.

“India today has a very robust power grid running from North to South and East to West of the country. In the future we would like to see the grid connected to neighbouring countries including Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and then expand that connection to South-east Asian countries, to emerge as a unified market,” said Ajay Tewari, additional secretary, ministry of power in December 2022.

Courtesy: Mint

The meeting took place at the Ministry of Defence, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

The Indian foreign secretary also met with his Sri Lankan counterpart Aruni Wijewardane earlier today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo.

Meanwhile, the meeting between the Foreign Secretary Kwatra and Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has focused on strengthening of the bilateral relationship between the two nations for the mutual benefits of its people.

The Indian foreign secretary arrived on the island on Monday (July 10) for a two-day official visit to prepare the ground for Wickremesinghe’s upcoming visit to New Delhi, scheduled for July 20.

The Sri Lankan president’s upcoming India visit is his first since taking office in 2022.

Accompanied by Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda, Energy and Power Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry, Presidential Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake during his visit, Wickremesinghe is expected to hold bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to Indian media, the Sri Lankan president is likely to finalise the implementation of several Indian projects related to power and energy, agriculture, and maritime issues in the country ahead of his departure for New Delhi.

Courtesy: Adaderana

Former ISRO chairman and Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr K Kasturirangan, who is responsible for the formulation of the National Education Policy 2020, suffered a heart attack while in Sri Lanka on Monday.

Currently, efforts are underway to airlift him to Bengaluru, where he will be monitored by Dr Devi Shetty, founder of Narayana Health, at the Narayana Hrudyalaya Hospital. According to sources, the 83-year-old scientist is said to be in stable condition.

Confirming the news, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took to Twitter to offer his good wishes. “Sad to know that Indian Space Scientist Shri Kasturi Rangan has suffered a heart attack in Sri Lanka. I wish him a speedy recovery and lead a healthy life,” he said.

Dr Kasturirangan is a prominent figure in both the science and education sectors. He has been awarded the second, third and fourth highest civilian awards – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri – for his contributions to both fields.

Courtesy: The New Indian Express

Throughout his nine-year tenure as Prime Minister, Modi has set an exemplary standard for others to emulate. His transformative endeavours have propelled India from its modest beginnings towards prosperity, earning him significant recognition.

During Modi’s tenure, India’s economy has experienced substantial growth, surpassing the US$ 3.5 trillion mark from its initial 1 trillion dollars in 2014. This exceptional progress serves as tangible evidence for Sri Lanka, India’s prominent neighbour, that India is undoubtedly the path to follow in various aspects. In fact, Union Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar recently emphasized that India has provided more assistance to Sri Lanka than even the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Financial support

India reaffirmed its commitment to the people of Sri Lanka to enable them to use the US$ 1 bn Indian credit facility for the procurement of medicine, food and other essentials for one more year. On more than three occasions, India has awarded credit lines with minimal interest rates.

Dr. Jaishankar underscored the importance of India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy and highlighted the significant financial support of US$ 4 billion provided by India to Sri Lanka last year. He emphasized that India was the first nation to extend assistance to Sri Lanka for debt restructuring and play a crucial role in securing financing assurances from the IMF. This support has been instrumental in facilitating Sri Lanka’s progress and enabling the implementation of the IMF program.

Additionally, Dr. Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s commitment to fostering greater investments in key sectors of the Sri Lankan economy. He emphasized that India stands ready to provide further support whenever Sri Lanka needs it. He welcomed the agreement in principle on a renewable energy framework, which aims to address Sri Lanka’s energy security challenges.

Despite facing increasing political criticism and personal attacks, Narendra Modi has shown remarkable resilience in dealing with various domestic and international crises. Rooted in his humble beginnings, he has applied his personal philosophy to drive India’s transformative journey. A recent example of his distinct approach was witnessed during the inauguration of the new Parliament in New Delhi, where he chose to walk alone towards the building, halting his motorcade, bodyguards and bureaucrats some 200 meters away.

Another testament to his commitment to equality is the appointment of Droupadi Murmu, a member of the tribal community, as the President of India. This decision reflects his dedication to providing equal opportunities to deserving individuals, regardless of their background.

When faced with the loss of his mother, Modi led the funeral procession personally, demonstrating his simplicity and rejection of extravagant rituals. Modi’s actions have exemplified his commitment to serving the nation and his determination to bring about positive change solidifying his stature as a distinguished global leader.

In 2019, the Modi Government fulfilled a significant electoral promise by revoking Article 370 and Article 35A of the Indian Constitution, despite facing substantial protests. These articles granted a special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, setting it apart from the rest of the country and contributing to separatist sentiments. The decision to abolish these articles was made with the aim of addressing the issue of separatism and promoting closer integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India.

One significant aspect of India’s transformation under Modi’s leadership has been its transition into a digital economy. In the fight against black money, the Modi Government took proactive measures by establishing the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on its first day in office.

Currently, the Indian Government is working in collaboration with the Swiss Government to obtain information on cases investigated by the Income Tax Department. Additionally, the Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets (Imposition of Tax) Bill 2015 was approved by the Government. This bill includes strict penalties and punishments for undisclosed foreign income and assets, while also mandating the use of PAN (Permanent Account Number) for transactions involving amounts exceeding INR 100,000.

Personal guarantee

Following Narendra Modi’s election victory in 2014, Sri Lankan politicians warmly embraced his leadership, with former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, the brother of Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa at that time, even drawing similarities between Modi and his brother. However, the political landscape has since shifted, with the Rajapaksas facing a huge setback politically and decline in popularity, while India’s economic policies have gained recognition under the term ‘Modinomics.’ Furthermore, India has provided significant assistance to Sri Lanka, including substantial financial aid and India’s personal guarantee in obtaining the IMF bailout of US$ 2.9 bn in support for the country’s economic stability.

Senior BJP leader Vijay Jolly told this writer, “Prime Minister Modi has proved that after completion of nine years in power, he still commands the majority admiration of all Indians.” He said, “Modi as the Prime Minister as emerged as a global leader and is widely accepted by Western leaders and nations alike. He added their leader has made India politically, militarily and diplomatically vibrant.

He stressed that their leader has provided Sri Lanka a fiscal breather during its serious financial crisis and India stood as an all-weather friend of Sri Lanka. On India’s support of houses in Sri Lanka, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay, highlighted the significant funding for the Indian Housing Projects (IHP). He emphasized the expeditious completion of Phase-3 of the IHP, which aims to construct 4,000 houses through grant assistance from the Government of India (GOI) in the plantation areas of Sri Lanka. These houses are being built across seven districts in the Central, Uva, and Southern Provinces.

Baglay said that the first two phases of the IHP have already resulted in the construction of around 46,000 houses in different parts of Sri Lanka. In line with Prime Minister Modi’s announcement, the next phase of the project will commence soon and will focus on constructing an additional 10,000 houses in the plantation areas, the High Commissioner added.

Sri Lanka’s foreign policy towards India has had mood swings. While Sri Lanka has been having a close alliance with China, they express appreciation and gratitude whenever India provides assistance. However, Sri Lankans have also demonstrated a tendency to revert to aligning with China afterwards which reflects the complex dynamics of Sri Lanka’s relationship with both India and China.

Energy sectors

Currently, India is actively engaged in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery efforts as the crisis-hit country is struggling. Discussions have centered on further economic integration, increasing Indian investments and tourism in Sri Lanka, promoting bilateral trade, and collaborating in the power and energy sectors. However, Sri Lanka maintains its stance as a sovereign entity, emphasizing that it cannot be controlled by India. The strained relationship, particularly during the war period, has been attributed to the perception that India does not support the political aspirations of Southern politicians. These factors have contributed to challenges in the India-Sri Lanka ties.

India has taken proactive measures to counterbalance China’s influence in Sri Lanka. This includes providing financial aid, infrastructure development, and support for Sri Lanka’s economic stability. The Modi Government has also emphasized the importance of bilateral cooperation, increased investments, and collaborations in key sectors such as trade, energy, and tourism.

India’s engagement with Sri Lanka now surpasses the efforts of any previous Indian administrations. Despite fluctuations in the relationship, both Premier Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have catered to the interests of the tiny island in a manner that can be perceived as a competition between the two economic giants.

In navigating this complex situation, the Modi Government has also had to consider the Tamil Nadu (TN) factor, where there is limited support for the BJP.

Recognising the importance of maintaining influence over the Tamil population in Sri Lanka, Modi has worked tirelessly to strengthen the BJP’s presence in TN.

As part of his approach to promote peace and stability in Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Modi has called upon the Sri Lankan Government to implement the 13th Amendment. This Constitutional Amendment is considered vital for achieving peace and stability in Sri Lanka and the wider region. Premier Modi has consistently expressed unwavering support for TN and Sri Lankan Tamils, aiming to prevent the recurrence of a civil war and foster harmony in the region.

“India’s foreign policy has experienced remarkable changes, leading to a transformation in the nation’s global standing. The world now witnesses India’s rapid progress across all domains, inspiring other countries to seek collaboration with us,” Dr. Jaishankar said recently.

Over the course of nearly a decade, India’s economy has undergone significant transformations due to Prime Minister Modi’s decision-making, resulting in profound and lasting impacts. His reputation as a statesman extends beyond mere political recognition, commanding deep respect and often inviting comparisons with global leaders. As India’s neighbouring country, Sri Lanka stands to gain valuable knowledge and benefits from having such a statesman in the neighbourhood.

The bond will be strengthened further when President Ranil Wickremesinghe makes an official visit to India next month for bilateral talks with Indian political and business leaders. This will be his first visit to India since becoming President last year. The two leaders know each other very well, which should bode well for the future diplomatic relationship.

The writer is a senior Indian journalist.

Courtesy: Sunday Observer

NIA said the charge sheet was filed on Thursday against the arrested accused for the illegal drug trade to fund, amass and stash weapons for the revival of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka.

Three Indians named in the charge sheet are Selvakumar M, Vigneshwara Perumal alias Vicky, and Iyyapan Nandhu.

Further, the NIA has named Sri Lankan nationals C Gunashekharaan alias Guna and Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna, who allegedly ran a drug syndicate in the island nation and have been accused of working with Pakistani drugs and arms supplier Haji Salim.

“The drugs were being sourced from Salim, who is suspected to be residing in Pakistan. The accused persons were using foreign WhatsApp numbers to carry out the clandestine trade,” the NIA said in a statement.

Salim, as reported by HT on April 30, allegedly worked with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He handled almost entire maritime smuggling of drugs and arms to India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and other nearby countries, the agency said.

“Investigations in the case had exposed their conspiracy to fund the revival of LTTE through the drug trade. They were arrested (last year) at the Trichy Special Camp. Investigations had further revealed that the accused were using the proceeds of crime to live a lavish life. Several mobile phones with pre-activated Indian SIM cards were also seized from them along with various digital devices, documents relating to drug transactions, cash to the tune of ₹80 lakh and nine gold bars. The cash and gold were proceeds from the sale of narcotics and were being channelled through hawala networks between Chennai and Sri Lanka. Several transactions using Crypto platforms were also unearthed,” the NIA statement added.

Besides Guna and Kanna, eight other Sri Lankans who have been named in the charge sheet are Mohammad Asmin, Alahapperumaga Sunil Ghamini Fonseka, Stanly Kennady Fernando, Dhanukka Roshan, Ladiya, Vella Suranga, Thilipan and Danarathnam Nilukshan.

While Vicky and Nandhu were arrested in April this year, the others were arrested in December 2022.

The federal agency is probing at least four cases related to conspiracy to revive the activities of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka.

In October 2021, Satkunam alias Sabesan, a former intelligence officer of LTTE, was arrested by the NIA in connection with a probe into the seizure of five AK47 rifles, thousands of rounds of 9 mm ammunition and 300 kg of heroin from fishing vessel Ravihansi, which was intercepted by the Coast Guard off the coast of Minicoy in Lakshwadeep on March 18, 2021.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times

NIA said the charge sheet was filed on Thursday against the arrested accused for the illegal drug trade to fund, amass and stash weapons for the revival of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka.

Three Indians named in the charge sheet are Selvakumar M, Vigneshwara Perumal alias Vicky, and Iyyapan Nandhu.

Further, the NIA has named Sri Lankan nationals C Gunashekharaan alias Guna and Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna, who allegedly ran a drug syndicate in the island nation and have been accused of working with Pakistani drugs and arms supplier Haji Salim.

“The drugs were being sourced from Salim, who is suspected to be residing in Pakistan. The accused persons were using foreign WhatsApp numbers to carry out the clandestine trade,” the NIA said in a statement.

Salim, as reported by HT on April 30, allegedly worked with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He handled almost entire maritime smuggling of drugs and arms to India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and other nearby countries, the agency said.

“Investigations in the case had exposed their conspiracy to fund the revival of LTTE through the drug trade. They were arrested (last year) at the Trichy Special Camp. Investigations had further revealed that the accused were using the proceeds of crime to live a lavish life. Several mobile phones with pre-activated Indian SIM cards were also seized from them along with various digital devices, documents relating to drug transactions, cash to the tune of ₹80 lakh and nine gold bars. The cash and gold were proceeds from the sale of narcotics and were being channelled through hawala networks between Chennai and Sri Lanka. Several transactions using Crypto platforms were also unearthed,” the NIA statement added.

Besides Guna and Kanna, eight other Sri Lankans who have been named in the charge sheet are Mohammad Asmin, Alahapperumaga Sunil Ghamini Fonseka, Stanly Kennady Fernando, Dhanukka Roshan, Ladiya, Vella Suranga, Thilipan and Danarathnam Nilukshan.

While Vicky and Nandhu were arrested in April this year, the others were arrested in December 2022.

The federal agency is probing at least four cases related to conspiracy to revive the activities of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka.

In October 2021, Satkunam alias Sabesan, a former intelligence officer of LTTE, was arrested by the NIA in connection with a probe into the seizure of five AK47 rifles, thousands of rounds of 9 mm ammunition and 300 kg of heroin from fishing vessel Ravihansi, which was intercepted by the Coast Guard off the coast of Minicoy in Lakshwadeep on March 18, 2021.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times

The Commanding Officer of the Indian Naval submarine, Commander Divakar. S will call on Commander Western Naval Area, Rear Admiral Suresh De Silva. Further, during the submarine’s visit the vessel would be open for visitors and school children.

The High Commission of India in coordination with Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre is scheduled to organize a grand event at Colombo Port to celebrate IDY on 21 June 2023 with participation of senior defence hierarchy and personnel from Indian and Sri Lanka Navies.

The Indian Navy is participating in the 9th edition of IDY with the unique initiative of performing Yoga on selected ports across the world forming a ‘Global Ocean Ring’. Connecting people the world over in a common pursuit of wellness, IDY 2023 resonates with the theme of India’s ongoing presidency of the G20, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.

Indian Naval Ships Delhi, Sukanya, Kiltan and Savitri had visited Colombo and Trincomalee earlier this year, during which Yoga sessions were organised with Sri Lanka Navy.

Recently, in June 2023, Sri Lankan Armed Forces participated in the three-day Yoga workshop across five cities in Sri Lanka, which was organized by Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre.

Visits by Indian Navy ships and submarines in Sri Lanka aim to foster brotherhood and togetherness between the two neighbouring navies in keeping with the India’s vision of ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and ‘Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR)’.

Courtesy: Colombo Gazette

In this context, an Amendment Agreement was signed on 30 May 2023 by the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury in the presence of the State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe, senior officials from the Ministry of Finance of Sri Lanka and officials from High Commission of India, Colombo at the Ministry of Finance. Officials from the State Bank of India joined the event from India virtually.

With the signing of the Amendment Agreement, the Credit Facility will be available for use for a period of one more year, till March 2024. Since last year, the Facility has been used for urgent procurement of fuel, medicines, food items and industrial raw materials, as per the requirements and priorities of the government.

The initial agreement was signed in 2023 March and out of the US$ 1 billion allocated materials were imported for US$ 576.75 million. The extension of the agreement is for the remaining US$ 423.25.

Accordingly, steps will be taken to prioritize the import of essential medicines under the Indian loan assistance scheme till March 2024, State Minister of Finance Semasinghe said.

Government of India extended multi-pronged assistance of about USD 4 billion to the Sri Lankan government last year, through multiple Credit lines and currency support, in line with India’s ‘Neighborhood First’ Policy.

“India’s continued support to Sri Lanka is a testament to our abiding commitment to stand with the Government and the people of Sri Lanka towards early economic stabilization and recovery,” the High Commission said.

Courtesy: Colombo Page

The NIA today (Thursday) filed a chargesheet against six persons for their involvement in the 2022 blast in a car in Coimbatore, in which the alleged bomber Jameesha Mubeen was killed.

As first reported by HT, NIA has claimed in its chargesheet that Mubeen was inspired by Maulvi Zahran bin Hashim, mastermind of April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka bombings, in which over 260 people were killed, and was planning to carry out similar strikes in India, particularly Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

An explosion had taken place at an ancient Temple Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Thirukovil at Eswaran Kovil Street, Ukkadam, Coimbatore on October 23.

The vehicle-borne Improvised Explosives Device (V-IED) driven by Jamesha Mubeen had blown up in front of the temple. Mubeen was killed in the blast.

“Investigations had revealed Mubeen was inspired by ISIS ideology to carry out this attack. He had also taken ‘bayath’ or oath of allegiance to its self-proclaimed Caliph Abu-al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi,” said NIA in its chargesheet.

A pen drive recovered from his associate – Mohammed Asarutheen, arrested by NIA, contained videos recordings of Jamesha Mubeen, where he had identified himself as a member of Daulat-e-Islamia (or Islamic State).

“Mubeen had spoken extensively on his intention to commit a suicide terror attack against the ‘kafirs’ (non-believers) and to become a martyr. Mubeen was inspired by the bayans (sermons) of Zahran Hashim, a radical Islamic cleric of Sri Lanka, who masterminded the easter serial suicide bomb attacks in 2019 killing around 260 people. Mubeen wanted to orchestrate a similar kind of attack against the ‘kafirs’ in India,” NIA statement said.

The agency said it recovered handwritten notes from Mubeen’s residence wherein criticism of the existing democratic system, which are not in tandem with Islamic laws, has been mentioned.

“There is also a mention of ‘targets’, including government office buildings, district court, public gathering places like parks, railway stations and few other local temples,” NIA said.

Islamic State of Khorasan Province’s online magazine called ‘Voice of Khorasan’ corroborated this in an article titled, ‘A Message to the Inhabitants in the Land Occupied by Cow and Mice Worshipping Filths’ where ISKP took responsibility for the attack held at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, agency said.

“The article goes on to state that the attack was revenge to uphold the honour of their religion and to establish Allah’s deen and his law upon his land and to terrorize the ‘Kufr’ and its followers with the threat that it was just the beginning,” it said.

Mubeen was aided by associates Mohammed Asarutheen, Mohammed Thalha, Firose Khan, Mohammed Riyas, Navas and Afsar Khan in arranging logistics.

NIA said Thalha had sourced the Maruti 800 blue colour car bearing which was used in the explosion of vehicle-borne IED while Firos, Riyas and Navas had loaded the explosives and gas cylinders in the car making it the potent weapon.

“Asarutheen and Afsar, both cousins of Mubeen had procured, weighed, mixed and packed the chemical constituents used to manufacture the VBIED used in the attack,” agency added.

Earlier, the NIA probed a module of ISIS in Coimbatore, headed by Mohammad Azharuddin in 2018-19 and found that he, along with another associate Sheikh Hidayatullah, was in touch with April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka bombings mastermind – Maulvi Zahran bin Hashim.

Mubeen too used to follow Hashim’s videos and was inspired by him.

Hashim and another Sri Lanka bomber – Mohammad Azaan had even travelled to India in 2017 and 2018 to discuss the plans of Islamic State.

Indian agencies, based on NIA probe into Coimbatore module, had sent three alerts to Sri Lanka security agencies about a plan to carry out a major strike there.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times