Sri Lanka scraps energy deal with China, signs fresh contract with Bengaluru company
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe
Sri Lanka on Friday (Mar 1) cancelled the contract with a Chinese firm and awarded the construction of three solar and wind hybrid power generation facilities to an Indian company.
The project was initially funded by an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan; however, it is now backed by an $11 million Indian government grant. The contract with the Chinese company was temporarily scrapped two years ago the after Indian government raised concerns.
India has over the past few years grown skeptical of growing Chinese involvement in its neighbour states, a trend it has sought to counter with its own initiatives.
Indian company U-Solar, based out of Bengaluru, will now be taking over the contract. India's assistance "underscored the significance New Delhi attached to bilateral energy partnership", the Indian embassy said in a statement.
The three facilities will have a combined 2,230 kilowatts of renewable energy capacity and be located on islets near the northern city of Jaffna, not far from India's southern coast.
“The hybrid project combines various forms of energy including both solar and wind, towards optimising capacities,” a press release from the Indian High Commission in Colombo said.
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Third Indian energy project in Sri Lanka
The energy project is the third Indian-backed major project in Sri Lanka. While the National Thermal Power Corporation is spearheading a solar venture in the eastern Sampur town, the Adani Group is setting up renewable energy projects in Mannar and Pooneryn in the north.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the third energy project was signed between the two nations back in March 2022, when India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar visited the South Asian country.
India’s growing influence
Earlier this year, Sri Lanka had imposed a one-year ban on Chinese “research vessels” from entering its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) after India raised objections.
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It was speculated that Chinese vessels track strategic military and naval assets of India under the garb of doing research work.
The ban on Chinese vessels was seen as a big diplomatic victory for India, as well as a major setback for China.
(With inputs from agencies)