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State Minister hails Sri Lanka’s ‘civilisational link’ with India, calls China ‘important trading partner’

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Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya spoke to WION’s diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2024 in New Delhi.Balasuriya weighed in on several issues ranging from the India-Lanka relationship, Colombo’s ties with China, tourism, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), and more.

While speaking on China, Balasuriya said that “both countries are friends”, but in India’s case it’s a “civilisational link” as he pointed out the historical connection of cultures. He said that China is an “important trading partner”, but so are other countries.

The excerpts of the full interview:

WION: How do you see the India-Sri Lanka relationship, especially in the light of financial connectivity? We recently saw the launch of UPI in your country.

Tharaka Balasuriya: I think India and Sri Lanka’s relationship is at an all-time high. The UPI is beneficial for both countries. If you look at the events of Sri Lanka and what took place one and a half years ago, it mainly started out as a foreign exchange crisis mainly a lack of dollars. So we have to ensure that our dollar dependency is reduced. And we now for example, our biggest tourist market is from media and if we can collect the tourist’s remittance from India and we import about $5.5 billion worth of goods from India and use the Indian rupees, to pay for the Indian imports, then we will reduce our dollar dependency and it also becomes very flexible and it becomes very easy for the Indians to travel to Sri Lanka and then they pay in Indian rupees.

WION: Sir, essentially we recently saw the Indian External Affairs Minister saying that one should go to Sri Lanka. How do you see that comment and how do you see Sri Lanka as a tourist destination for many Indians?

Tharaka Balasuriya: Have you visited Sri Lanka?

WION: I have visited Sri Lanka but not on a very fortunate note. It’s after the Easter bombings but maybe I’ll visit on a happier note.

Tharaka Balasuriya: Your External Affairs Minister is absolutely correct because Sri Lanka is a country with an area of over 65,000 square kilometres, but it has something for everybody. It’s no wonder Marko Polo said it’s the best island of its size in the world. We have some of the best beaches in the world. We have the hill country which is very cool in temperature and we have wildlife and wildlife parks for example, the Yala National Park has the highest concentration of leopards in the world.

We have the historical the cultural triangle, which is to pass and then we also are trying to develop the Ramayana trail. We have five Shiva Lingam temples in Sri Lanka. And also Sri Lanka is in close proximity to India. So the maps when you look at the ticket prices for somebody in the North of India to travel to the southern city and for that person to travel to, Sri Lanka, I don’t think there’ll be much of a cost difference. So I would encourage all Indians to visit Sri Lanka and it will be absolutely a brilliant experience.

WION: There is the China factor as well when it comes to the India-Sri Lanka relationship and the Sri Lanka-China relationship. Is it an act of balancing or is India your natural ally?

Tharaka Balasuriya: When you say it’s our natural ally I think that has an implication saying in other countries our enemy or something. No, it’s not like that. You know, both countries are friends, but in India’s case, it’s a civilisational link. You know, if you read the books, the people of Sri Lanka came from India. Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country, and Buddhism came from India.

So it is a much stronger big brother-small brother relationship with India and Sri Lanka. China is an important trading partner. But so are other countries. So if you look at most of our exports, they go to Europe and they go to the United States. And they are also very important trading partners.

 And I think the look at the quantum of the volume of trade, which India does with China, you know, ours is minuscule. So, Sri Lanka is a small country. We don’t have huge international political ambitions but we want to trade with all countries and ensure that you know, the people of Sri Lanka will benefit.



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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Kalutara, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura

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The National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Kalutara, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura effective from 0400hrs on 12th June 2026 to 0400hrs on 13th June 2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Palindanuwara in the Kalutara district, Doluwa in the Kandy district, Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya district and Pelmadulla, Ayagama, Ratnapura, Godakawela, Kalawana and Nivitigala in the Ratnapura district

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Wife, counsel seek regular access to ex-Spy Chief Sallay held under President’s detention order

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Suresh Sallay

Wife of former State Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Suresh Sallay has asked CID Director retired SSP Shani Abeysekera to allow her, her family members and lawyers to visit her husband in the National Hospital, Colombo. Sallay’s counsel has also written to Abeysekera, asking for permission to visit the former spy held on a detention order signed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The text of Manori’s letter: “I respectfully request your assistance in granting me, and my daughter or alternatively my son, permission to visit my husband, Rtd. Major General Suresh Sallay, who is currently at the National Hospital, Colombo.

“As you are aware, my husband is presently engaged in a fast-unto-death campaign. His physical condition and emotional well-being are of deep concern to our family. During this difficult period, the presence and support of his immediate family are extremely important to him.

“I firmly believe that regular visits from me with our daughter or our son would help uplift his spirits, provide him with much-needed emotional strength, and may encourage him to reconsider continuing this course of action. Family support can play a vital role in preserving his mental and emotional health while he remains hospitalised.

“In view of these exceptional circumstances, I kindly request that permission be granted for either me and my daughter or my son to visit him daily during the period of his hospitalisation.

“I would be most grateful for your compassionate consideration of this request.”

“The text of the counsel’s letter: “I write in my capacity as Counsel for Rtd. Major General Suresh Sallay, who is presently under detention and admitted to the National Hospital, Colombo.

As you are aware, Major General Sallay has embarked on a fast-unto-death campaign, giving rise to serious concerns regarding his physical and mental well-being. In these circumstances, it is imperative that I be granted reasonable and regular access to my client during his hospitalisation.

As his legal representative, I have a professional obligation to monitor his condition and obtain instructions from him so that I may accurately apprise the relevant courts of his health status and any developments affecting his rights and welfare. Effective legal representation requires continuous communication with my client, particularly in light of the grave circumstances presently confronting him.

I also wish to respectfully highlight that Major General Sallay has placed explicit trust and confidence in me as his counsel. Indeed, I was the first person he contacted following his arrest.

Given the trust he reposes in me, I believe I am uniquely positioned to engage with him constructively and persuade him to discontinue this campaign and instead place his confidence in the legal remedies and judicial processes available to him.

For these reasons, I respectfully request that I be granted permission to visit my client on a daily basis during the period of his hospitalization.

Such access would not only facilitate the discharge of my professional responsibilities but may also contribute meaningfully towards safeguarding his health and encouraging a resolution through lawful and institutional means.

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CIABOC summons Yoshitha over his participation in British Navy training programme

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Yoshitha

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, who served as a Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Navy, has now been summoned to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption next Tuesday (16) for questioning over his participation in a Royal Navy training programme in the United Kingdom outside established procedures.

The Commission is expected to record statements in relation to several complaints received regarding his recruitment and subsequent service in the Navy after he enlisted on December 14, 2006.

According to sources, the investigation focuses on allegations concerning the educational qualifications considered at the time of his enlistment, as well as foreign training opportunities he is said to have received while in service, which are suspected to have been granted in violation of due process.

The Bribery Commission has launched the inquiry under the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act, officials said.

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