Colombo: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe hopes to visit New Delhi to discuss the island nation’s worst economic crisis, he told the Parliament on Thursday.
Briefing the House on his recent visits to Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines, the President said: “We are continuing our talks with India. During my brief meeting with Prime Minister Modi in Japan, I conveyed my wish to visit New Delhi to brief them on our situation.”
The President, who took charge after then president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled Colombo in the face of the country’s worst economic crisis since 1948, said: “Modi has always extended his support to us. I have always appreciated India’s assistance in our crisis. India will continue to extend their support in our rebuilding effort.”
India since January this year has extended nearly USD 4 billion worth of assistance to Sri Lanka after the country announced itself bankrupt and expressed its inability to honor debts.
The island nation has been scrambling for dollars, leading to a shortage of food, medicines as well as essential items.
