Sri Lanka not ready for connectivity with India by land

Sri Lanka has declined to consider a land connectivity project with India at this hour despite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi making some remarks about the need for it during bilateral talks.

 

A land bridge connecting the two countries was mooted first during the 2002/2004 government led by Ranil Wickremesinghe as the then Prime Minister.

 

During Mr. Wickremesinghe's visit to New Delhi as the President in 2023, land connectivity was mentioned in the joint statement.

 

However, multiple sources that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, during his visit to New Delhi in December, last year, declined to press ahead with this project at this hour. As a result, the matter was not on the Sri Lankan agenda during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister recently.

 

Still, on one occasion during bilateral talks, Prime Minister Modi, referred to land connectivity between the two countries.

 

When he flew out of Sri Lanka on board an Indian Air Force helicopter after the visit, he observed Ram Setu which connected Sri Lanka and India in ancient times.