. 24/7 Space News .
SUPERPOWERS
Modi heads to Sri Lanka as Chinese influence rises
By Amal JAYASINGHE
Colombo (AFP) May 11, 2017


India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to Sri Lanka on Thursday on a charm offensive as New Delhi seeks to reassert its influence on the island amid signs of a Chinese comeback.

Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena came to power in January 2015 promising to loosen ties with China after a decade of hefty funding by Beijing under his predecessor.

When Modi visited the island shortly afterwards, he promised to "script a golden chapter in the history of India-Sri Lanka relations".

Just two years later, analysts say Beijing's influence is on the rise again as Colombo struggles to find alternative sources of foreign capital.

For India, which wants to keep Sri Lanka within its sphere of influence, that is a worrying sign.

"For Modi to visit again so soon is clearly an expression of India's concerns about China's deepening economic roots in Sri Lanka and the potential strategic, even military, advantages this might ultimately bring," said Alan Keenan of the International Crisis Group.

Sirisena halted all Chinese-funded infrastructure projects when he swept to power in 2015, ousting the island's strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse, who had aggressively courted Beijing.

Now these projects, which included new highways, railway lines and a telecommunications tower, are back on track.

A $1.4 billion Chinese-funded land reclamation project outside Colombo harbour has also been relaunched.

New Delhi has long been nervous of a Chinese presence at the Colombo port, a key transshipment point for Indian cargo.

Even more controversially, Colombo is trying to sell a controlling interest in a strategically-located deep-sea port in the south to China.

Shortly after hosting Modi, Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will travel to China, where he is expected to try to finalise that sale.

- Black flags -

Experts say India simply doesn't have deep enough pockets to take over China's place as the country's main financial backer.

"The new government realises that its Western allies have not delivered and only China has the deep pockets to invest," said Sri Lankan political analyst Kusal Perera.

"The new government has understood this reality and they are wooing China while keeping India on board."

Last time Modi visited Sri Lanka, he made a highly symbolic trip to the war-ravaged north in a demonstration of support for Sri Lanka's mostly Hindu Tamil minority, who share close cultural and religious ties with counterparts living in southern India.

This time, he will be guest of honour at a major Buddhist festival -- a move seen as aimed at winning the support of the Sinhalese majority, many of whom are suspicious of India.

Former leader Rajapakse's political allies among the Sinhalese community this month called for a black flag protest during Modi's visit.

Manoj Joshi of the Observer Research Foundation think tank in Delhi said Modi would likely use the visit to deepen economic ties with Sri Lanka.

But he cautioned against overly high expectations.

"Everyone in New Delhi has realised that the new Colombo government isn't going to abandon China just like that. It has certain big infrastructure investments," he told AFP.

"When confronted by a big neighbour like India, they can leverage China, just like other countries in the neighbourhood like Nepal and Bangladesh."

SUPERPOWERS
EU tells US: Funding UN more important than defense spending
United Nations, United States (AFP) May 9, 2017
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Tuesday urged the United States to maintain funding for UN agencies, saying relief work was sometimes more important for peace than defense spending. Mogherini delivered the message during a meeting of the UN Security Council that she also used to highlight EU support for the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris Agreement on climate change ... read more

Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

SUPERPOWERS
12 Scientist-Astronaut Candidates Graduate at Embry-Riddle Through Project PoSSUM

Students Taste Sweet Smell of Success in Culinary Challenge

Honeywell And Paragon To Create Life Support Technology For Future NASA Space Missions

Elon Musk teases future plans at TED

SUPERPOWERS
GSLV Successfully Launches South Asia Satellite

ISRO Successfully Launches GSAT-9 'SAARC' South Asian Communication Satellite

First Contract under Booster Propulsion Technology Maturation BAA Complete

Reaction Engines begins construction of UK rocket engine test facility

SUPERPOWERS
NASA Rover Curiosity Samples Active Linear Dune on Mars

Is Anything Tough Enough to Survive on Mars

Japan aims to uncover how moons of Mars formed

Several drives put opportunity closer to 'Perseverance Valley'

SUPERPOWERS
China to conduct several manned space flights around 2020

Reach for the Stars: China Plans to Ramp Up Space Flight Activity

China's cargo spacecraft completes in-orbit refueling

China courts international coalition set up to promote space cooperation

SUPERPOWERS
AIA report outlines policies needed to boost the US Space Industry competitiveness

Allied Minds' portfolio company BridgeSat raises $6 million in Series A financing

Blue Sky Network Targets Key Markets For Iridium SATCOM Solutions

How Outsourcing Your Satellite Related Services Saves You Time and Money

SUPERPOWERS
Shape-changing fog screen invented

Biggest X-ray laser in the world generates its first laser light

Researchers develop eco-friendly 4-in-1 catalyst

Fabrication technology in the fourth dimension

SUPERPOWERS
Lasers shed light on the inner workings of the giant larvacean

SOFIA Confirms Nearby Planetary System Is Similar to Our Own

Research Center A Hub For Origins of Life Studies

Nearby Star Confirmed as Good Model of Our Early Solar System

SUPERPOWERS
The PI's Perspective: No Sleeping Back on Earth!

ALMA investigates 'DeeDee,' a distant, dim member of our solar system

Nap Time for New Horizons

Hubble spots auroras on Uranus









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.