Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva has emphasised that the agreement signed with China pertaining to the Hambantota port is ‘very clear’, emphaising that the port cannot be used for any war or security purposes.
Speaking to World Is One News (WION), Siripala noted that as per the agreement, the Hambantota port will be used solely for trading purposes.
“We had to sell the Hambantota port. We asked India to take it over and the US to take it over. Then the Chinese came and took it over. It is a private sector takeover. It is not being used for other purposes. Our agreement with the Chinese is very clear that it cannot be used for any war or security purposes but only trade”, he said in this regard.
Siripala spoke to WION on both, the Hambantota and Colombo ports, investments by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani in the country, and more on the sidelines of the sixth international Indian Ocean Conference in Bangladesh.
“We have excellent relations with India. India is helping and we are reciprocating. We have started flights from India to our airports. We have started ferry services to and from Madras. We have increased connectivity,” the Minister said, emphasising that the two nations have a ‘very friendly relationship’.
India’s capital, New Delhi, is currently aiding Colombo build its energy sector, with Sri Lanka having extended an invitation to invest in the Trincomalee port, located nearly 262 kilometres Southwest of Colombo.
“We have requested India to come to Trincomalee port and do the value addition”, he said.
Thus, Siripala noted that Sri Lanka, as a nation, must be ‘mindful about the security of India’, while also expressing confidence on the Adani investment in Colombo’s port.
– With input from agencies