Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka marks a crucial moment in the bilateral relations between the two countries. This is Modi’s fourth visit to the Island nation after he took over as the Prime Minister in 2014, and is likely to change India’s engagement with Sri Lanka.
The first two visits in 2015 and 2017 saw a focus on bilateral exchanges between the two countries, whereas the third visit in 2019 — following the Easter bombings in Colombo — focused on solidarity. Modi's highly-anticipated 2025 visit comes amid a huge political transformation in Sri Lanka. The new dispensation, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, that came to power in November 2024, wants to engage with India and capitalise on India’s economical and technological prowess.
In December 2024, two months after taking charge as the President, Dissanayaka called on Modi in Delhi, to discuss the need for bilateral relations. Sri Lankan sources say that the key highlight of the visit will be the signing of eight MoUs covering energy, digital connectivity, defence and training, and more. The two leaders will also discuss regional security, digital infrastructure, connectivity, and the Palk Bay fisheries conflict. Modi will also inaugurate the railway modernisation project, funded by Indian assistance. This project aims to improve transportation networks, boost trade logistics, and enhance regional connectivity.
In that regard, the Prime Minister will launch the Sampur Power Plant at Trincomalee, in North-eastern Sri Lanka. This project, which has been in the cards for the past few years, is a milestone initiative by India and Sri Lanka in energy security, aimed at reducing Sri Lanka’s burden on energy exports.
In a statement shared by the Indian High Commission in Colombo, Modi expressed confidence that his visit would help in building “on the foundations of the past and contribute to strengthening our close relationships for the benefit of our people and the wider region".
Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka from April 4-6, follows the visit of Sri Lankan President Dissanayaka to India in December last year.
“We will have the opportunity to review progress made on the joint vision of fostering partnerships for a shared future, and provide further guidance to realise our shared objectives,” Modi explained.
However, Sri Lanka’s firm decision to drop the Adani Green Energy power project at Mannar in Northern Sri Lanka, is also likely to come up during Modi's visit to Colombo. Under Dissanayaka, Sri Lanka has maintained a firm non-engagement with Adani's renewable energy project, claiming that it was “high on tariff”.
