SA trade Courtesy: Hindustan Times
15 February 2024

South Asia’s trade architecture matters

South Asia requires resilient and cost-effective regional supply chains. This can be achieved through Indian investment, fostering local linkages while reducing dependency on Chinese financing of regional partners. A new approach enhances India's regional influence, creating a win-win scenario for the entire South Asian neighbourhood in a changing global landscape.

ranil-wickremesinghe Courtesy: VivaLanka
11 January 2024

COP28 and Sri Lanka’s energy goals

At the COP28, Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated the need for $12 billion in FDI for renewable energy sources by 2030 to fulfill the country’s climate commitment. For that funding to yield benefits and translate into long-term growth, Sri Lanka must now work hard to enhance its overall business environment and revisit its foreign investment strategy to focus on renewable energy and manufacturing.

nawaz-modi-saarc-reuters Courtesy: The Wire
9 January 2024

India and South Asia: what to expect in 2024

The more India enjoys cooperative relations with its neighbours, the greater its ability to exert influence in the world. Meanwhile, neighbours looking at India with a reasonable mindset may internalise that cooperating with the world’s fifth largest economy is clearly in their interest.

Colombo-port Courtesy: The Wire
3 August 2023

India-Sri Lanka: Connecting grids

India and Sri Lanka recently signed six energy agreements, including plans for an oil pipeline from India to Sri Lanka, electricity grid connectivity, and cooperation in renewable energy. Sri Lanka can benefit from India's cost-effective oil sourcing and processing and pay for it in rupees, easing its balance of payments crisis. Its wider use of the Rupee fulfills a long term objective for Indian policymakers.

mw website fin Courtesy: The Times of India
20 July 2023

India and Sri Lanka: Hard work ahead

On July 21, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe is set to visit for the first time since taking office. India has already provided $5 billion in economic assistance to Sri Lanka, and is now looking to expand its investment in the nation. Sri Lanka is also seeing interest from Indian private investment. The visit presents an opportunity for the two countries extend this relationship in new areas of cooperation, especially energy, infrastructure, and tourism.

india SL Courtesy: Business World
18 May 2023

India and Sri Lanka Beyond the IMF

The Sri Lankan economy is showing signs of stabilizing after experiencing the worst contraction in its history in 2022. Decisive policies by President Ranil Wickremasinghe, timely Indian aid, and an IMF Programme have laid the groundwork for a return to growth. India and Sri Lanka must now shift from an aid relationship to one which deepens bilateral trade and investment flows.

Amb Gurjit Singh Courtesy: ANI
17 August 2022

75 years of development cooperation

Since 1947, India has had a proud record of development cooperation. It began even though it was newly independent and itself developing, but created a camaraderie with movements in other emerging countries. Now after 75 years, its time to move toward an FDI-led model, which will particularly help reduce the rising indebtedness in the developing world.

RW Courtesy: zeenews
21 July 2022

The reforms Sri Lanka needs

Sri Lanka's crippled economy requires immediate and robust reforms. India faced similar adversity when PV Narasimha Rao pulled the country out of the economic crisis in 1991. Will new president Ranil Wickremesinghe follow the example of India's 1991 reforms to save his country and economy?

SL Courtesy: AP
14 July 2022

Awaiting Sri Lanka’s Narasimha Rao

Sri Lanka is experiencing an economic, political and strategic crisis it has never had before. The situation is fragile – but a creative solution and determined national interest can help return the island nation to stability and growth. Amb. Rajiv Bhatia, in conversation with economist Dr Ganeshan Wignaraja on how Sri Lanka came to the current condition, and the remedies to adopt.

Untitled Courtesy: Gateway House
23 June 2022

Analysing India’s Economic Security Challenges

Low global commodity prices, strong FDI inflows, and sustained growth have boosted the Indian economy in the preceding decade. This favourable economic climate, however, was disrupted by the pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine, exposing vulnerabilities in the global economic system. This paper focuses on India’s economic security challenges, particularly in six sectors - Food, Energy, Finance, Data, Space & Undersea Cables and Critical Minerals - and suggests possible courses of action.