Ranil Wickremesinghe News

PTI. Citing sources, the report said the Sri Lankan government is in touch with IIT Madras for the ambitious project. “A high-level delegation had recently visited the Chennai campus to discuss the future roadmap.

offshore campus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is likely to be set up in Sri Lanka, according to sources. The proposal for an IIT in Sri Lanka was announced last November in the 2024 Budget unveiled by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who also serves as the finance minister. According to sources, the Sri Lankan government is in touch with IIT Madras for the ambitious project. «A high-level delegation had recently visited the Chennai campus to discuss the future roadmap. The talks are on and the campus is likely to come up in Kandy,» a source said.

Sri Lanka’s parliament has overwhelmingly approved an internet regulation bill being criticized as a move to stifle speech in an election year

Sri Lanka has always been a country where cash is king and this remains the case despite the country planning to introduce its digital currency by the end of 2024.

Sri Lanka's navy said Monday it was joining a US-led maritime taskforce to protect international shipping against attacks by Yemen's Huthi rebels. «We will be joining 'Operation Prosperity Guardian' led by the US Navy,» naval spokesman Gayan Wickramasuriya said, with the deployment of a patrol vessel crewed by more than 100 people. Huthi fighters have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks on targets in Israel and the Red Sea, disrupting traffic in the key shipping route that carries up to 12 percent of global trade. The Iran-backed Huthis say they are targeting Israel and Israeli-linked vessels to push for a stop to the offensive in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been battling Hamas militants since October 7. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that Huthi attacks had raised freight costs and were impacting exports of garments and tea. The South Asian island nation is emerging from its worst economic crisis in 2022, when months of street protests led to the ouster of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The country defaulted on its $46 billion external debt and is now being supported by a $2.9 billion four-year bailout loan from the International Monetary Fund. Wickramasuriya said the move would add no additional cost as the vessel was already patrolling Sri Lanka's vast maritime boundary. The US-led maritime force announced late last month includes Britain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and other nations. Last month neighbouring India deployed several warships in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden after a string of shipping attacks, including a drone strike near India's coast that the United States blamed on Iran.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will soon introduce a new law to curb meddling of any sorts by people with considerable influence in the corridors of power. A cabinet sub-committee appointed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe last November reported back to him on Monday with the necessary recommendations.

World Cup 2024, which will now be held in South Africa, said International Cricket Council in a press release on 21 November. The decision was taken by the apex cricketing board after the ICC Board met on Tuesday. Earlier, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was suspended for breaching its obligations as a member, after ICC said that the country's cricket board failed to manage its affairs autonomously and without government interference.

International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended the cricket board of Sri Lanka, citing the interference by the government, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on 17 November called Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Jay Shah and expressed regret over the remarks of Arjuna Ranatunga blaming him for the collapse of Sri Lankan cricket, reported The Hindu. Earlier, former World Cup-winning Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga had accused Jay Shah of 'running' and 'ruining' Sri Lanka Cricket. “The President spoke to Mr. Shah yesterday (Thursday) morning.

By Uditha Jayasinghe

India and Sri Lanka must further bolster bilateral ties and explore policy options to minimise risks and volatility emanating from global economic and political developments, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said, as she exhorted businesses to lead the efforts towards greater economic integration between the two countries. She suggested that Sri Lanka explore the feasibility of widening its economic basket from just tourism and tea to focus on sectors like pharmaceuticals and renewable energy, according to a post by the Indian finance ministry on X (formerly Twitter).

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday appreciated the State Bank of India (SBI) for becoming the first foreign bank in Sri Lanka to successfully launch a pathbreaking direct Sri Lankan Rupee-Indian Rupee trade. Sitharaman, who is on a three-day official visit to the crisis-hit island nation, along with P.S.M. Charles, the Governor of Northern Province, inaugurated the second SBI branch in Jaffna.

Nirmala Sitharaman will be on a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka beginning Wednesday to address 'NAAM 200' and India Sri Lanka Business Summit, among others. During her visit, she will give the keynote address as the Guest of Honour at the 'NAAM 200' organised by the Government of Sri Lanka to commemorate the 200th anniversary of arrival of India-origin Tamils (IOTs) to the island nation on November 2 in Colombo, the finance ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka flagged off on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that we are embarking on a new chapter in the diplomatic and economic relations between India and Sri Lanka. PM Modi said, “We are embarking on a new chapter in the diplomatic and economic relations between India and Sri Lanka.

Jaishankar on Wednesday called on Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe here and held «extensive discussions» aimed at enhancing the relationship between the two neighbours. The minister, who is here to attend the 23rd Council of Ministers Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), met with President Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat. «Called on President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe today evening in Colombo.

Mamata Banerjee was asked by Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe if she would be leading the Opposition INDIA bloc, upon a chance meeting at Dubai Airport. CM Banerjee who met Wickremesinghe at the Dubai airport was also amused by the question. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) Supremo who has embarked on a tour to Dubai and Spain, replied to President Wickremesinghe, “If people support us, we can be in a position (power) tomorrow".

Sri Lanka on September 2-3 has been deferred due to «unavoidable circumstances», Ministry of Defence Principal Spokesperson A Bharat Bhushan Babu said. Rajnath Singh looks forward to visiting Sri Lanka at the earliest possible time frame. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, A Bharat Bhushan Babu stated, «Due to unavoidable circumstances the visit of Hon'ble RM to Sri Lanka stands deferred to a later date.

Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday highlighted the need for a comprehensive review of Sri Lanka's national security strategy to chart a course devoid of entanglement in the emerging international rivalries and maintain neutrality in the Indian Ocean region. The review will include a broad range of factors, emerging economic trends and the impacts of climate change, Wickremesinghe said, addressing a Naval gathering in the southern district of Galle. The President has already appointed a team led by a retired Major General to report to the National Security Council for formulating contemporary security policies.

New Delhi And Colombo Are Set To Begin Technical D... moreNew Delhi And Colombo Are Set To Begin Technical Discussions That Could Pave The Way For A Multi-Product Petroleum Pipeline Between The Two South Asian Nations, Mint Has Learnt.

Sri Lanka has issued tenders choosing India over China for power projects near Jaffna, shortly after President Ranil Wickremesinghe's New Delhi trip. The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) recently called for tenders to execute the hybrid power projects in three northern islands of Sri Lanka using a grant of $12 million from India, according to Colombo-based sources. In January 2021, Sri Lanka had awarded the contract to Chinese firm Sinosar-Etechwin to install a hybrid renewable energy system in Nainativu, Delft or Neduntheevu and Analaitivu islands off the coast of Jaffna, which was later scrapped.

India has handed over Rs 45 crore in advance to Sri Lanka to fund its unique digital identity project, the most crucial step in the island nation's digitalisation programme being implemented through the Indian grant assistance. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe's office here said that the fund from India was given on Friday.

New Delhi: Crisis-hit Sri Lanka has emerged as a key country of interest for India and the UK as they set out to operationalize a Global Innovation Partnership that allows them to cooperate in development projects in third countries. The partnership, which is expected to focus on climate-smart innovations, is expected to come out with a list of priority countries and sectors next year. The two countries have had early- stage talks about cooperation in Sri Lanka’s power and energy sector.