'Won't allow territory to be used…': Sri Lanka's assurance to India amid PM Modi's visit

In an apparent attempt to allay worries about China's expanding influence among neighbors, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake gave Prime Minister Narendra Modi an assurance on Saturday that the nation will not permit its territory to be used in a way that is detrimental to India's security interests.

Chinese infrastructure projects and investments in Sri Lanka to boost its economy have sparked worries about security and sovereignty. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, and Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar were among the five senior Sri Lankan ministers who welcomed PM Modi upon his arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport on Friday evening.

PM Modi, who received Sri Lanka President Dissanayake's "Mithra Vibhushana" award, said that India supported Sri Lanka through all of its hardships, mentioning the 2019 terrorist attack, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the current economic crisis.