China is not just Pakistan's lifeline, but Nepal's guide, mentor and creditor too. It is not set to be Iran's biggest investor too with a 400 million dollars new deal.&nbsp;

And now China is tightening its grip on Sri Lanka by pushing India and its allies out.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-india-sri-lanka-hold-talks-on-colombos-debt-repayment-309753">Covid-19: India, Sri Lanka hold talks on Colombo's debt repayment</a>

Take a look at China's encirclement strategy. How China is building ports and infrastructure around the Indian subcontinent.&nbsp;

Sri Lanka is a key part of this strategy. The country had to give up the Hambantota Port to China on a 99 year lease. With this port, Colombo has given Beijing a strategic foothold along a critical, commercial and military waterway.&nbsp;

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A report that came out 10 days ago suggest Sri Lanka is rethinking of a port deal with India.&nbsp;

The deal was signed between India, Japan and Sri Lanka in 2019 and allowed India and Japan to develop a new east container terminal.

As per the agreement, Sri Lanka has the majority, 51 per cent stake at the deal, but still President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wants to shelve it.&nbsp;

Apparently, the workers at the Colombo port want the deal scrapped, a reason that looks silly.

A closer look at the issue declutters the situation. Sri Lanka is flush with Chinese funds and 12 per cent of its debts are owed to Beijing.&nbsp;

This means China dictates terms and that explains the situation itself.&nbsp;

Rajapaksa seems to be distancing himself from the grants and funds offered by the Quad nations.&nbsp;

In June, a Japan-funded rail project was shelved. Sri Lankan officials urged the president to refuse a $480 million grant from the US, however, final decision is yet to be taken.&nbsp;

And now India's role in the Colombo port is under a shadow.

These developments benefit only one party, and that's China.&nbsp;

Beijing is securing its strong foothold in Sri Lanka and wants to drive others out.&nbsp;

Also, China is meddling in Lankan politics too. General elections are due in the island nation and reports suggest Chinese are cultivating a "wide swathe of political allies". Representatives from China are meeting leading political parties.&nbsp;

Some of these meetings are happening behind closed doors, others are out in open.&nbsp;

A picture was clicked last year, which has an interesting composition. All leading political parties in Sri Lanka and the members of the Communist Party are present in a single frame.&nbsp;

This means that China is investing in all political players. So, it doesn't matter who gets elected on the upcoming elections, but China will be the winner.&nbsp;

Six days ago, China's state wire agency said the Chinese embassy donated masks to the election commission of Sri Lanka

The press release went on to describe how China "supports" Sri Lankan local, and central governments, enterprises, organisations and individuals.&nbsp;

In March, Colombo sought a loan of $500 million from China to fight the Wuhan virus and Beijing was quick to write the cheque and draw Colombo deeper in its trap of debt.&nbsp;

China is not just Pakistan's lifeline, but Nepal's guide, mentor and creditor too. It is not set to be Iran's biggest investor too with a 400 million dollars new deal.

China is not just Pakistan's lifeline, but Nepal's guide, mentor and creditor too. It is not set to be Iran's biggest investor too with a 400 million dollars new deal. And now China is tightening its grip on Sri Lanka by pushing India and its allies out. Also read | Covid-19: India, Sri Lanka hold talks on Colombo's debt repayment Take a look at China's encirclement strategy. How China is building ports and infrastructure around the Indian subcontinent. Sri Lanka is a key part of this strategy. The country had to give up the Hambantota Port to China on a 99 year lease. With this port, Colombo has given Beijing a strategic foothold along a critical, commercial and military waterway. A report that came out 10 days ago suggest Sri Lanka is rethinking of a port deal with India. The deal was signed between India, Japan and Sri Lanka in 2019 and allowed India and Japan to develop a new east container terminal. As per the agreement, Sri Lanka has the majority, 51 per cent stake at the deal, but still President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wants to shelve it. Apparently, the workers at the Colombo port want the deal scrapped, a reason that looks silly. A closer look at the issue declutters the situation. Sri Lanka is flush with Chinese funds and 12 per cent of its debts are owed to Beijing. This means China dictates terms and that explains the situation itself. Rajapaksa seems to be distancing himself from the grants and funds offered by the Quad nations. In June, a Japan-funded rail project was shelved. Sri Lankan officials urged the president to refuse a $480 million grant from the US, however, final decision is yet to be taken. And now India's role in the Colombo port is under a shadow. These developments benefit only one party, and that's China. Beijing is securing its strong foothold in Sri Lanka and wants to drive others out. Also, China is meddling in Lankan politics too. General elections are due in the island nation and reports suggest Chinese are cultivating a "wide swathe of political allies". Representatives from China are meeting leading political parties. Some of these meetings are happening behind closed doors, others are out in open. A picture was clicked last year, which has an interesting composition. All leading political parties in Sri Lanka and the members of the Communist Party are present in a single frame. This means that China is investing in all political players. So, it doesn't matter who gets elected on the upcoming elections, but China will be the winner. Six days ago, China's state wire agency said the Chinese embassy donated masks to the election commission of Sri Lanka The press release went on to describe how China "supports" Sri Lankan local, and central governments, enterprises, organisations and individuals. In March, Colombo sought a loan of $500 million from China to fight the Wuhan virus and Beijing was quick to write the cheque and draw Colombo deeper in its trap of debt.

China's debt trap: Is India out of the Colombo Port deal?

Sri Lanka on Monday destroyed $108 million worth of cocaine in public, seized by authorities in the port of Colombo which is increasingly becoming a transit hub favoured by drug smugglers in Asia.

The authorities destroyed 928 kg (more than 2,040 lbs) of the drug, the largest cocaine haul in Asia, which was found in a container of timber on a Colombian ship bound for India in December 2016, and represented part of more than 1,700 kg of drugs seized in the past three years.

The drug haul was destroyed under a special facility in a cement factory close to the country&rsquo;s main airport.

&quot;We are very serious about the zero-tolerance&nbsp;policy on this ... we have a long way to go,&quot; said Minister of Law and Order Sagala Ratnayaka attending the event.

&quot;Sri Lanka is being used as a transit hub. This haul would have been for transit purposes and some parts of it come into Sri Lanka. There is a distribution process and we are tracking the network and the peddlers.&quot;

Through August last year, Sri Lankan customs seized six shipments of high-quality South American cocaine in 14 months, including Asia&#39;s largest-ever haul of the drug in December 2016, at its main port.

On that occasion, about 1,770 kg of cocaine, with a value of $140 million, was seized, of which 840 kg was found in sugar shipments from Brazil.

Senior police officials have told Reuters some gangs are seeking to mask their shipments to Australian and European markets by bringing them into Sri Lanka, then sending them on to Sri Lankan containers.

The drug haul was destroyed under a special facility in a cement factory close to the country’s main airport.

Sri Lanka on Monday destroyed $108 million worth of cocaine in public, seized by authorities in the port of Colombo which is increasingly becoming a transit hub favoured by drug smugglers in Asia. The authorities destroyed 928 kg (more than 2,040 lbs) of the drug, the largest cocaine haul in Asia, which was found in a container of timber on a Colombian ship bound for India in December 2016, and represented part of more than 1,700 kg of drugs seized in the past three years. The drug haul was destroyed under a special facility in a cement factory close to the country’s main airport. "We are very serious about the zero-tolerance policy on this ... we have a long way to go," said Minister of Law and Order Sagala Ratnayaka attending the event. "Sri Lanka is being used as a transit hub. This haul would have been for transit purposes and some parts of it come into Sri Lanka. There is a distribution process and we are tracking the network and the peddlers." Through August last year, Sri Lankan customs seized six shipments of high-quality South American cocaine in 14 months, including Asia's largest-ever haul of the drug in December 2016, at its main port. On that occasion, about 1,770 kg of cocaine, with a value of $140 million, was seized, of which 840 kg was found in sugar shipments from Brazil. Senior police officials have told Reuters some gangs are seeking to mask their shipments to Australian and European markets by bringing them into Sri Lanka, then sending them on to Sri Lankan containers.

Sri Lanka destroys $108 million haul of cocaine

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China's debt trap: Is India out of the Colombo Port deal?

Sri Lanka destroys $108 million haul of cocaine