This week, China is throwing a huge party to celebrate one of its biggest experiments in engaging with the world: its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Officials and leaders from all over the globe are in Beijing to attend a high-level summit marking the BRI’s 10th anniversary. Participants expected to show up range from Vladimir […]

by Neville Ladduwahetty In order to assuage the apprehensions of India regarding the intended arrival of the Chinese research vessel Shi Yang 6 to Sri Lanka, an informed source of the National Aquatic Resources Research Agency (NARA) is reported to have said “a team of officials from the NARA would board Shi Yang 6 to […]

Thursday 21st September, 2023 The recent killing of a prominent Sikh activist named Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada, has triggered a diplomatic row between Ottawa and New Delhi. Canada lost no time in ordering an Indian diplomat out of the country, accusing India of having had a hand in the assassination. Denying Canada’s allegation, New […]

Sri Lanka has received a stock of 352 tons of sunflower oil from Russia. The stock was received in line with the World Food Programme (WFP) project meant to assist Sri Lanka. Addressing the gathering at Veyangoda grain store, Russian Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan said that one of the purposes

By Y P Prakash India’s Strategic Lunar Missions Contrast with Sri Lanka’s Costly Ventures and Underutilized Infrastructure, Highlighting Investment Priorities and Technological Futures Over the course of several years, the investment in India’s space exploration missions has seen both accomplishments and financial considerations. In 2008, the pioneering Chandrayaan-1 mission was ...

Thuesday 22nd August, 2023 No sooner had the Indian government announced its decision to impose a 40% tax on onion exports to overcome a shortfall in the domestic supply than Sri Lankan traders jacked up onion prices exponentially. They would not have reacted so swiftly to a drop in onion prices in the international market. […]

During the question-and-answer session, Dr. Dushni Weerakoon questioned the sustainability of Sri Lanka’s non-aligned foreign policy, as it weakened the country’s position in trade negotiations. The expert assertion was certainly not restricted to trade negotiations. Having signed ACSA (Access and Cross Servicing-Agreement) with the US, in August 2017, it would be ridiculous to still talk […...

The developing Indo-Lanka relations, particularly the process since early 2022 should be examined taking into consideration the significant role played by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in New Delhi Milinda Moragoda, who received the Cabinet rank. At the time President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sent the former UNP Minister, one -time close associate of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, […]

Japan has sought Sri Lanka’s backing for its Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy. Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa has taken up this issue with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ali Sabry, PC, when they met on 29th July. According to a statement issued by the Japanese Embassy, in Colombo, Minister Yoshimasa has also briefed Minister Sabry regarding […]

The RBI has taken a pivotal step by permitting 20 banks operating in India to open 92 Special Rupee Vostro Accounts (SRVAs) with partner banks from 22 countries. This allows exporters and importers from these nations to conduct trade transactions in domestic currencies, facilitating smoother and more efficient trade practices. The list of countries eligible for […]

Udeni Kaluthantri, a 54-year-old port worker, became an overnight sensation last year for reasons that had nothing to do with his job. Days after protesters stormed the presidential palace in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, a video surfaced of Mr Kaluthantri lounging on a bed draped with the presidential flag. Pictures of young men jumping […]

By DR. DAYAN JAYATILLEKA For a country with a deep crisis, galloping poverty and a very significant Left (JVP-NPP and FSP), there is a paradoxically thin contribution by the leftwing intelligentsia. This can be contrasted by a cursory glance at the volumes of back issues of the Lanka Guardian which would illustrate the far thicker […]

by Rajan Philips Last week saw a spate of summits underscoring the global economic and geopolitical headwinds that governments and countries have to cope with and navigate through. First, there was the visit to China by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. This was followed by a state visit to Washington by India’s Prime […]

From the viewpoint of the South, the recent visit by a delegation of African political leaders to Russia for the primary purpose of impressing on President Vladimir Putin the need to end the conflict in Ukraine is welcome news. The visit is doubly important for at least two main reasons