India continues to press Sri Lanka over the slow progress of its strategic projects, especially in the North and East (including Trincomalee energy and connectivity initiatives), with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri raising the issue directly with President Dissanayake.

Despite substantial Indian assistance and a new monitoring unit for India-funded projects, longstanding delays persist, reflecting Colombo’s mixed signals and historical sensitivities toward its larger neighbour.

For Sri Lanka, advancing cooperation with India is presented as essential for economic recovery and converting its strategic Indian Ocean location from a vulnerability into an asset, particularly after the recent bankruptcy and heavy reliance on external support.

India has once again pressed for progress on its projects in Sri Lanka, which continue to move at a snail’s pace despite repeated rounds of discussions. During his visit to Colombo this week, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveyed New Delhi’s concerns directly to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. He also raised the issue of the delayed provincial council elections and the need for a political settlement for the Tamil minority in the North and East.

In an earlier meeting with Dissanayake in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced frustration over the slow pace of implementation. Despite the rhetoric of “system change,” the National People’s Power government appears to be repeating the delays of its predecessors, particularly on India’s strategic projects in the North and East — areas of special concern for New Delhi. Why do these projects remain stalled, and does the old phrase........

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