Sri Lanka's Sirisena seeking to 'reset' ties with India
On his first foreign state visit, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has signed a nuclear deal with India - a move reflecting his intention of reviving the strained bilateral ties, as analyst Alan Keenan tells DW.
Keenan: 'India is also likely to press Sirisena to provide tangible relief to Tamils in the north and the east'
- Author Interview: Gabriel Domínguez-16.02.2015-Alan Keenan
Sirisena met with PM Modi and Indian officials on Monday, February 16, after arriving on his first foreign visit since winning a general election in January. The four-day visit has been seen by analysts as an attempt to ease tensions and strengthen ties between the South Asian neighbors.
Relations became strained over the past years as Sri Lanka's ties with China grew significantly closer under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who turned mainly to Beijing as a key source of financial support and development. This angered New Delhi who viewed this as Beijing's foray into its strategic sphere of influence.
