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Delhi, Colombo should build on Trincomalee deal with broader strategy’: Lankan envoy

Published

4 years ago

2022/01/17

Lankan High Commissioner in India Milinda Moragoda said the two countries should move on from the transactional phase and look at the bigger picture, including integrating Sri Lanka into India’s overall energy security policy India and Sri Lanka should forge a larger strategic framework that builds on the Indian presence in key projects such as the Trincomalee oil tank farm and Colombo port and benefits both countries, Sri Lankan high commissioner Milinda Moragoda has said, according to a report in The Hindustan Times.

Moragoda sought to play down Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s recent remarks that no “third party” should interfere in China-Sri Lanka ties by citing the comments of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who said that China is a very close friend of Sri Lanka while India “is our brother and sister”.

Sri Lanka inked a deal with a subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) last week for the long-gestating project to refurbish and develop the British-era Trincomalee oil farm, an 850-acre storage facility with a capacity of almost one million tonnes.

The Hindustan Times report said: State-owned Sri Lanka Ports Authority and Adani Group finalised a deal last year to develop the west container terminal at Colombo port. Dredging work at the terminal is expected to start later this month.

In an “integrated country strategy” document that Moragoda prepared before assuming office in India last year, he suggested that the two sides should evolve from a transactional stage to a strategic, and then a special relationship. He said in an interview on Thursday the time has come for both sides to move on from the transactional phase and look at the bigger picture, including integrating Sri Lanka into India’s overall energy security policy.

“The west terminal [at Colombo port] and the tank farm are two very important transactions, As I see it, the two sides should move seamlessly into the strategic area,” he said, adding he perceived the Trincomalee deal as “integrating Sri Lanka with India in the petroleum, oil and gas sector”.

The two sides should jointly develop a business plan for the Trincomalee tank farm that accounts for projections that India’s energy needs will grow by 50% by 2030 and the need for refining capacity will go up 30%. The two sides can look into joint oil and gas exploration in the Cauvery basin and developing a refining facility at Trincomalee, Moragoda said.

“For us, Trincomalee could potentially be a petroleum hub for India, both for storage and refining. Trincomalee can only service India, it is too far away from sea lanes…We need to think strategically and that’s going to be the next step. Looking at this narrowly as a tank farm transaction would be wrong,” he said.

Oil storage and refining facilities at Trincomalee will also boost Sri Lanka’s energy security. “As India is the world’s third-largest energy consumer, it can get much better deals for petroleum than Sri Lanka. We can work with India on our requirements and it will give us energy security,” he said.

Asked about Chinese foreign minister Wang’s remarks, during a recent visit to Colombo, that no “third party” should interfere in China-Sri Lanka relations, Moragoda said: ” Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa always has a very pithy way of putting things and when he was asked about this, he always said China is a very close friend, but India is our brother and sister.”

He added, “So it’s a different relationship. For us to interpret that comment doesn’t make sense, given the relationship with India.”

Wang’s remarks were widely perceived in New Delhi as a reference to India, especially against the backdrop of India’s opposition to projects under the Belt and Road Initiative in the neighbourhood.

Cooperation on the Trincomalee tank farm, held up since 1987, has been followed by Indian assistance for Sri Lanka to overcome a severe economic crisis, including depleting foreign currency reserves that experts believe can lead to a default on external debt. Following a meeting with Indian envoy Gopal Baglay in Colombo on Thursday, Sri Lanka’s Central Bank governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal tweeted India will provide a SAARC currency swap and other forms of cooperation.

The SAARC currency swap will be for $400 million and India has deferred $500 million due to the Asian Clearing Union for two months. Moragoda said more developments are expected in this regard in the coming weeks.

Sri Lanka expects to get a revolving credit line of $500 million from India’s Exim Bank for buying petrol and diesel and another package for emergency purchases of food and medicines. Steps are being taken to operationalise a line of credit offered by India for counter-terrorism efforts and a grant for a naval floating dock, Moragoda said.

“Sri Lanka is the largest recipient of Indian defence scholarships, and at any time 600 to 700 of our personnel are training in India. We want to increase this and expand it to the police,” he said.

“We’re planning to use the Aadhar card as a template for Sri Lanka’s ID card. Our president is very, very enthusiastic about it. He’s also the minister in-charge of the science and technology sector. Those discussions are ongoing,” he added.

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Advisory for Heavy Rain issued for the Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts

Published

2 hours ago

2026/02/22

Priyan

Advisory for Heavy Rain Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 08.30 a.m. on 22 February 2026 valid for the period until 08.30 a.m. 23 February 2026

Due to the influence of the low level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

Therefore, general public is advised to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by heavy rain, strong winds and lightning during thundershowers

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Matara Festival for the Arts’ inaugurated by the Prime Minister

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/22

Priyan

The inaugural ceremony of the Matara Festival for the Arts, featuring a wide range of creations by local and international artists, was held on February 19 at the Old High Court premises of the Matara Fort, under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The festival, centred around the Old High Court premises in Matara and the auditorium of the Matara District Secretariat, will be open to the public from 20 to 23 of February. The festival will be featured by visual art exhibitions, short film screenings, Kala Pola, and a series of workshops conducted by experts.

The inaugural event was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Ms. Saroja Paulraj, along with artists, guests, and a large number of schoolchildren.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

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Only single MP refuses salary as Parliament details pays and allowances

Published

12 hours ago

2026/02/22

Thilina Walpola

SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilake is the only MP to forego salary and allowances, with all payments suspended following his written notification on August 20, 2025.

Only one Member of Parliament has chosen not to receive the salaries and allowances entitled to MPs, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya revealed in Parliament last Thursday, shedding light on the financial perks enjoyed by members of the Tenth Parliament.

Speaking on Thursday (Feb. 19) in response to a question from SJB Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri, the Prime Minister outlined the full range of pay and allowances provided to parliamentarians.

According to Dr. Amarasuriya, MPs receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 54,285, an entertainment allowance of Rs. 1,000, and a driver’s allowance of Rs. 3,500—though MPs provided with a driver through the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs are not eligible for the driver’s allowance.

Additional benefits include a telephone allowance of Rs. 50,000, a transport allowance of Rs. 15,000, and an office allowance of Rs. 100,000. MPs are also paid a daily sitting allowance of Rs. 2,500 for attending parliamentary sessions, with an additional Rs. 2,500 per day for participation in parliamentary sittings and Rs. 2,500 per day as a committee allowance.

Committee meetings held on non-parliament sitting days also attract Rs. 2,500 per day.

Fuel allowances are provided based on the distance between an MP’s electoral district and Parliament. National List MPs are entitled to a monthly allocation equivalent to 419.76 litres of diesel at the market price on the first day of each month.

Despite the comprehensive benefits, only SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka has opted not to draw a salary or allowances. Dr. Amarasuriya said that in accordance with a written notification submitted by MP Wasalathilaka on August 20, 2025, payments have been suspended since that date.

The Prime Minister also confirmed that she, along with the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, committee chairs, ministers, deputy ministers, the Opposition Leader, and senior opposition whips, have all informed the Secretary-General of Parliament in writing that they will not claim the fuel allowance.

Challenging the ruling party’s voluntary pledge to forgo salaries, MP Wijesiri pointed out that all MPs except Wasalathilaka continue to receive their salaries and allowances. “On one hand you speak about the people’s mandate, which is good. But the mandate also included people who said they would voluntarily serve in this Parliament without salaries. Today we have been able to prove, Hon. Speaker, that except for one SJB MP, the other 224 Members are drawing parliamentary salaries,” he said.

The Prime Minister responded by defending the political culture and practice of allocating portions of MPs’ salaries to party funds. Referring to previous practices by the JVP and NPP, she said: “It is no secret to the country that the JVP has for a long time not personally taken MPs’ salaries or any allowances. I think the entire country knows that these go to a party fund. That is not new, nor is it something special to mention. The NPP operates in the same way. That too is not new; it is the culture of our political movement.”

When MP Wijesiri posed a supplementary question asking whether diverting salaries to party funds was an indirect method of taking care of MPs, Dr. Amarasuriya said: “There is no issue there. No question was raised; the Member made a statement. What we have seen throughout this week is an inability to understand our political culture and practice, and a clash with decisions taken by political movements that misused public funds. What is coming out is a certain mindset. That is why there is such an effort to find fault with the 159. None of these facts are new to people. He did not ask a question, so I have nothing to answer.”

The disclosures come days after the Government moved to abolish the parliamentary pension, a measure that has sparked renewed debate over MP compensation and the transparency of funds allocation.