Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has emphasized the crucial role of India’s support in Sri Lanka’s development, warning that rejecting India’s assistance could leave the country even poorer by 2050.
Speaking at an event, he stressed that India, as Sri Lanka’s closest neighbor, should be its key partner rather than the USA, Russia, or China. He pointed out that Sri Lanka benefited significantly from India’s $4.3 billion aid during the economic crisis and questioned what the country’s state would have been without it.
Wickremesinghe also highlighted how India’s Adani Group investment attracted further investments to Sri Lanka, reinforcing the importance of maintaining strong ties.
“India is our friend and willing to help us with anything. Our only solution is to embrace this support and prioritize investment. Without India, we will never develop,” he warned.
He urged that regardless of which government is in power, Sri Lanka must continue leveraging its relationship with India to secure economic progress.
