Sri Lankan president’s visit to India signals growing economic and energy ties

By KRUTIKA PATHI and BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Sri Lanka and India have signed a slew of energy, development and trade agreements, signaling the growing economic ties between the two neighboring countries. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for a two-day official visit, his first since taking up the top job last year after an economic meltdown forced his predecessor to flee. On Friday, he held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the two leaders unveiled a series of agreements. Relations between the two countries surged last year when Sri Lanka was mired in its worst economic crisis in modern history. India provided critical financial and humanitarian assistance worth over $4 billion to its neighbor to help inject much needed stability.