Website articles  (85) Courtesy: FB / @The Statesman
30 April 2026

Legacy and new issues with India-Sri Lanka

India’s Vice President C. Radhakrishnan visited Sri Lanka from April 19-20, reaffirming Colombo’s importance in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and MAHASAGAR vision. While ties remain stable, legacy issues persist: Tamil demands for devolution, illegal fishing disputes, and the stalled Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement. The hope is for these to be resolved within Sri Lanka; till then, the unresolved challenges will continue to test the depth and durability of the bilateral.

Website articles  (84) Courtesy: Reuters
23 April 2026

India’s Neighbourhood First policy needs a reboot

Outcomes of the Neighbourhood First policy (NFP) are often mixed, shaped by actions on both sides. Recent engagements with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Nepal suggest an opportune moment to recalibrate NFP, enhance its effectiveness, and bridge perceptions of India as an “elder brother” rather than a “big brother.”

Ge7F95paEAAUIbY Courtesy: X / MEAIndia
19 December 2024

India-Sri Lanka, friends in deed

The state visit of Sri Lanka’s new President Dissanayake to India, is welcome at many levels. His party’s majority win gives Sri Lanka the strength to undertake the hard reforms necessary to put the island back onto its higher economic status. India’s assistance has helped but there is more to be done to elevate the bilateral. For India which is now in a hostile neighbourhood, Sri Lanka can be a valuable friend.

Screenshot 2024-08-27 134557 Courtesy:
29 August 2024

If you must win, you must make your partner country a winner too

Foreign policy in the 21st century is underpinned by economic issues, in contrast to the 20th century when global politics and security aspects dominated diplomacy. Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), Government of India, discusses Indian diplomacy and how it navigates the G7 and BRICS, the opportunities and challenges for strengthening the Neighbourhood First policy in South Asia, and the country’s evolving economic diplomacy.