In an interview to Palki Sharma, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that China has not ditched Sri Lanka, but Beijing has been "silent" in the last few months. Here is an excerpt from that exclusive conversation.

Gravitas: Lankan Crisis: Wickremesinghe says China has been silent

Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that India helped the island nation way more than China while they were going through a major economic crisis. Wickremesinghe was made prime minister of Sri Lanka amid tremendous inflation and resulting protests. In an exclusive interview with Managing Editor of WION Palki Sharma, the Sri Lanka PM explained that China had a lot of red tape when it came to helping Sri Lanka and that is why they focused more on negotiations with India.

“They (China) helped in some ways, but big arrangements did not come through because we focused on India. I don't think they could get much from China and Japan during that time. It is not a fault of Colombo as we decided to focus on India because India came up with the money. And that's what we wanted. It is the question of who had less red tape,” Wickremesinghe said in the interview.

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"I have been talking to other ministers from India. Will talk to PM (Narendra) Modi. Have been in touch with Finance and Foreign ministers. Have been talking to S. Jaishankar before the crisis also, when we met in Abu Dhabi, we had a long chat where I told him the crisis will come. Will talk to PM Modi and thank him," he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wickremesinghe was quick to point out that the Sri Lankan government does not believe that China ditched them during tough times and made it clear that he will be speaking to China about the donor conference which is aimed towards the “Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka”. &nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Exclusive: Ranil Wickremesinghe on WION | What Sri Lanka needs to survive

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“I don't think they (China) have ditched Sri Lanka. Well, I think actually we should have negotiated with them (China) but we did not. I can't understand why we did not. We just made a request.”

“With the crisis in Sri Lanka, they (China) have been silent from few months. I don't know how much the previous government had negotiated earlier. But I intent to start talking with China. And get them to get into the donor conference. Which they have agreed to get into the donor conference and get help that way,” he said while explaining his government’s future stance towards China.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

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Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that India helped the island nation way more than China while they were going through a major economic crisis.

Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that India helped the island nation way more than China while they were going through a major economic crisis. Wickremesinghe was made prime minister of Sri Lanka amid tremendous inflation and resulting protests. In an exclusive interview with Managing Editor of WION Palki Sharma, the Sri Lanka PM explained that China had a lot of red tape when it came to helping Sri Lanka and that is why they focused more on negotiations with India. “They (China) helped in some ways, but big arrangements did not come through because we focused on India. I don't think they could get much from China and Japan during that time. It is not a fault of Colombo as we decided to focus on India because India came up with the money. And that's what we wanted. It is the question of who had less red tape,” Wickremesinghe said in the interview. Also read | Ukraine 'will prevail' over Russia with global support, says Zelensky "I have been talking to other ministers from India. Will talk to PM (Narendra) Modi. Have been in touch with Finance and Foreign ministers. Have been talking to S. Jaishankar before the crisis also, when we met in Abu Dhabi, we had a long chat where I told him the crisis will come. Will talk to PM Modi and thank him," he added. Wickremesinghe was quick to point out that the Sri Lankan government does not believe that China ditched them during tough times and made it clear that he will be speaking to China about the donor conference which is aimed towards the “Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka”. WATCH | Exclusive: Ranil Wickremesinghe on WION | What Sri Lanka needs to survive “I don't think they (China) have ditched Sri Lanka. Well, I think actually we should have negotiated with them (China) but we did not. I can't understand why we did not. We just made a request.” “With the crisis in Sri Lanka, they (China) have been silent from few months. I don't know how much the previous government had negotiated earlier. But I intent to start talking with China. And get them to get into the donor conference. Which they have agreed to get into the donor conference and get help that way,” he said while explaining his government’s future stance towards China. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Exclusive | India had less red tape than China on helping Sri Lanka, says PM Ranil Wickremesinghe

Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka amidst the worst economic condition since the country’s independence and widespread protests. However, there have been constant allegations of corruption&nbsp;that he was handpicked by the Rajapaksa family as a stopgap solution to the volatile situation. However, in an interview with WION Managing Editor Palki Sharma, Wickremesinghe made it clear that he is not a “CEO” appointed by the Rajapaksas but an “Independent Prime Minister”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/exclusive-india-had-less-red-tape-than-china-on-helping-sri-lanka-says-pm-ranil-wickremesinghe-487334" hreflang="en">Exclusive | India had less red tape than China on helping us - Sri Lanka PM</a>

“I am not a CEO. I am a Prime Minister. Prime Minister is never a CEO. A Prime Minister in our system is the one who heads the parliament and who leads the government in parliament. I can't be a CEO. I am an independent Prime Minister. No as far as we are concerned, we have to sort it out in the cabinet. Or in parliament.&nbsp; Decision I make, in some issues I consult him (President) in some decisions he make, He consults me. Not in all decisions, that's how the cabinet runs,” the PM said.

The Sri Lanka government has proposed the 21st Amendment to the constitution which can annul unfettered powers given to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Wickremesinghe said that that the decision was taken after discussions with Rajapaksa, and it will be discussed next week in the parliament.

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“We had two rounds of discussion with party leaders and agreements. It will be taken up in the next meeting. And there after the 21st Amendment would be presented to the party leaders. We are also looking for the outcome of the court case the SJB has initiated which will give ruling on powers of the President, ministries. So, we have to amend it if the court case is different from our draft.”&nbsp;

“The members asked some more time to go through it.&nbsp; They brought it in last moments that's why.”

WATCH |&nbsp;Exclusive: Ranil Wickremesinghe on WION | What Sri Lanka needs to survive

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Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka amidst the worst economic condition since the country’s independence and widespread protests. However, there have been constant allegations of corruption that he was handpicked by the Rajapaksa family as a stopgap solution to the volatile situation.

Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka amidst the worst economic condition since the country’s independence and widespread protests. However, there have been constant allegations of corruption that he was handpicked by the Rajapaksa family as a stopgap solution to the volatile situation. However, in an interview with WION Managing Editor Palki Sharma, Wickremesinghe made it clear that he is not a “CEO” appointed by the Rajapaksas but an “Independent Prime Minister”. Also read | Exclusive | India had less red tape than China on helping us - Sri Lanka PM “I am not a CEO. I am a Prime Minister. Prime Minister is never a CEO. A Prime Minister in our system is the one who heads the parliament and who leads the government in parliament. I can't be a CEO. I am an independent Prime Minister. No as far as we are concerned, we have to sort it out in the cabinet. Or in parliament. Decision I make, in some issues I consult him (President) in some decisions he make, He consults me. Not in all decisions, that's how the cabinet runs,” the PM said. The Sri Lanka government has proposed the 21st Amendment to the constitution which can annul unfettered powers given to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Wickremesinghe said that that the decision was taken after discussions with Rajapaksa, and it will be discussed next week in the parliament. Also read | Ukraine 'will prevail' over Russia with global support, says Zelensky “We had two rounds of discussion with party leaders and agreements. It will be taken up in the next meeting. And there after the 21st Amendment would be presented to the party leaders. We are also looking for the outcome of the court case the SJB has initiated which will give ruling on powers of the President, ministries. So, we have to amend it if the court case is different from our draft.” “The members asked some more time to go through it. They brought it in last moments that's why.” WATCH | Exclusive: Ranil Wickremesinghe on WION | What Sri Lanka needs to survive

Exclusive | I am not a CEO, I am a prime minister, says Ranil Wickremesinghe

It was the moment when two brothers who had dominated&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's politics for nearly 20 years finally went their separate ways.

On May 9, when a crowd of ruling party supporters marched towards activists protesting against a crippling economic crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa ordered police to stop the pro-government mob, fearing violence.

"He was screaming at the police to disperse the crowd," said former media minister Nalaka Godahewa, who said he was with the president at the time.

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Despite the president's order, the demonstrations against inflation, power blackouts and shortages of essentials turned deadly. Nine people were killed, hundreds were injured and the property of Rajapaksa loyalists was attacked.

The violence marked a pivotal point in the crisis. Gotabaya's older brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, had addressed the government supporters earlier in the day. He was sitting down for lunch when he was shown a video of the violence by an aide, according to a source with direct knowledge of events at the prime minister's house in the commercial capital Colombo.

"He knew what he would do next," said the source.

The 76-year-old, one of&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's most popular politicians in his heyday, finished his meal and had a nap, the source said. At 5.02 pm, he announced his resignation as prime minister, making public a rift in&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's ruling dynasty.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retribution, said the president had already been pushing the prime minister to resign since early April as a concession to protesters demanding the ouster of both men because of their response to the economic crisis enveloping the island.

"GR told MR to go", said another source close to the family, who also requested anonymity, referring to the president and the prime minister by their initials.

Neither Mahinda Rajapaksa nor the president responded to requests for comment for this story. They have not publicly said anything about their differences.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Gotabaya says can't go as a failed president amid the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka

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After he quit, Mahinda went into hiding at a naval base and stayed under protection of the armed forces for several days because of the wrath of the protesters. Gotabaya, 72, continues as president, deeply unpopular with many&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lankans, while political leaders discuss a move to clip the executive powers of his office.

But the Rajapaksas are not done yet.

EVIDENCE OF REFORMS

The new prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is heavily dependent in parliament on the ruling&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party to pass an interim budget within weeks that will outline measures to mend public finances. He has also proposed reforms to curb the president's powers and strengthen parliament in response to demands from protesters.

The International Monetary Fund wants evidence of reforms before agreeing to a bailout, for which negotiations are ongoing.&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;also needs an agreement with bondholders and bilateral creditors to restructure its debt, and regain access to global financial markets.

Wickremesinghe belongs to a party that controls just one seat in parliament, while the SLPP and its coalition partners have a comfortable majority in the 225-seat legislature.

Events in&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;are being closely watched in neighbouring India, South Asia's regional heavyweight, and China, which has invested billions of dollars in infrastructure projects in the past decade as part of its Belt and Road Initiative linking it to the rest of the world.

Political scientist Jayadeva Uyangoda said Wickremesinghe faced a balancing act to meet the demands of the protesters and&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's international creditors, while placating the ruling party with an agenda that Basil would accept.

"What Basil Rajapaksa wants will be what parliament approves," Uyangoda said.

Basil, who has not spoken publicly since he resigned in early April along with the rest of the cabinet, did not respond to requests for comment.

BROTHERS UNITED

Among the nine Rajapaksa siblings, Mahinda, Gotabaya and Basil were once a tight-knit political unit.

Mahinda, a lawyer by training, became&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's youngest ever legislator when he entered parliament in 1970. By 2004, using a combination of political charisma and guile, he rose to become prime minister. The next year, he was voted president.

The brother's popularity soared after Mahinda and Gotabaya, a retired infantry officer who was appointed defence secretary, crushed a decades-long Tamil insurgency in the north and east of the country in a brutal government offensive in 2009.

Mahinda won a landslide re-election in 2010, promising to heal the country's deep divisions. He also drew&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;closer to China, inviting heavy investment like the 1.4 billion dollar&nbsp;Hambantota port that irked India, which feared losing influence over its southern neighbour.

Then, in 2015, a shock defeat for Mahinda in presidential elections threw the Rajapaksas into disarray.

Basil, a US-Sri&nbsp;Lankan dual citizen who served as a long-time adviser to Mahinda while he was president, was instrumental in reshaping a minor political party into the SLPP in 2016, making it the dominant player in&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lankan politics.

In 2019, coordinated suicide bombings by Islamist militants that killed more than 250 people presented the Rajapaksas with an opening to return to power.

With Basil unwilling to renounce his US&nbsp;citizenship and Mahinda barred from standing due to term limits, Gotabaya ran for the presidency and won by a landslide.

Mahinda was named prime minister soon after and Basil became finance minister in 2021, but things had started unravelling.

DEBATABLE POLICIES, THEN PANDEMIC

The start of&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's slide into economic chaos can be traced to 2019, when the Rajapaksas implemented populist tax cuts shortly after returning to power, shrugging off criticism from some advisers.

Godahewa, the former minister, said he advised Gotabaya that the cuts would be a "disaster" because of the already precarious state of public finances, but was overruled.

Government officials have previously said that the tax cuts were aimed at resuscitating the economy by putting more money in the hands of people.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, decimating tourism and with it a critical source of foreign exchange. Foreign worker's&nbsp;remittances also dropped.

&nbsp;A manifesto pledge to turn to organic farming and phase out the use of chemical fertilizers over the next decade was implemented abruptly in May 2021 by the president, throwing the country's farming sector into turmoil and leading to food shortages as crop yields fell.

By then, relations between Mahinda and Gotabaya had deteriorated.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lankas-21st-amendment-to-constitution-to-be-submitted-to-cabinet-for-approval-on-monday-485240">Sri Lanka's 21st Amendment to Constitution to be submitted to cabinet for approval on Monday</a>

The two brothers differed over the president's fertilizer ban, but a move by the prime minister in 2021 to reverse the decision was blocked by Gotabaya's staff, according to the source at the prime minister's residence.

No such differences between the two have previously been reported.

SPENDING BORROWED CASH

Even when the country's massive debt problems became apparent, the Rajapaksas dragged their feet about going to the IMF to seek financial aid. A government official said early this year that Basil, then finance minister, wanted the local economy to shake off the effects of the pandemic before going to the IMF.

Shortly after being appointed energy minister in August 2020, former Rajapaksa coalition partner Udaya Gammanpila began poring over the accounts of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), the country's biggest public corporation in terms of turnover, and said he was appalled by what he saw.

CPC was selling petroleum products at a huge discount to consumers, and had run up a bill of some 4 dollars billion with suppliers, despite not having adequate income to repay them.

In October 2020, he said he warned a cabinet meeting the country was heading towards a foreign currency crisis and suggested restricting non-essential imports and an immediate free-float of the rupee to avoid a currency black market.

"We can manage the situation," Gammanpila quoted Mahinda as saying. Gotabaya rarely asserted himself during cabinet meetings, according to Gammanpila and Godahewa.

Last month, the government said its foreign reserves had dwindled to almost zero.

But Gammanpila said his chief opponent was Basil.

The two men clashed frequently, with arguments descending into shouting during at least five cabinet meetings, according to Gammanpila.

His description of arguments over economic policy was corroborated by the source close to the family, who said Basil felt he knew what he was doing and shouted down objections.

"Other countries spent what they earned," Gammanpila said. "We spent what we borrowed. That was the difference."

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&nbsp;

It was the moment when two brothers who had dominated Sri Lanka's politics for nearly 20 years finally went their separate ways. On May 9, when a crowd of ruling party supporters marched towards activists protesting against a crippling economic crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa ordered police to stop the pro-government mob, fearing violence.

It was the moment when two brothers who had dominated Sri Lanka's politics for nearly 20 years finally went their separate ways. On May 9, when a crowd of ruling party supporters marched towards activists protesting against a crippling economic crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa ordered police to stop the pro-government mob, fearing violence. "He was screaming at the police to disperse the crowd," said former media minister Nalaka Godahewa, who said he was with the president at the time. Also read | Pulling Sri Lanka back from Bankruptcy: Sri Lanka needs $6 billion to keep afloat Despite the president's order, the demonstrations against inflation, power blackouts and shortages of essentials turned deadly. Nine people were killed, hundreds were injured and the property of Rajapaksa loyalists was attacked. The violence marked a pivotal point in the crisis. Gotabaya's older brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, had addressed the government supporters earlier in the day. He was sitting down for lunch when he was shown a video of the violence by an aide, according to a source with direct knowledge of events at the prime minister's house in the commercial capital Colombo. "He knew what he would do next," said the source. The 76-year-old, one of Sri Lanka's most popular politicians in his heyday, finished his meal and had a nap, the source said. At 5.02 pm, he announced his resignation as prime minister, making public a rift in Sri Lanka's ruling dynasty. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retribution, said the president had already been pushing the prime minister to resign since early April as a concession to protesters demanding the ouster of both men because of their response to the economic crisis enveloping the island. "GR told MR to go", said another source close to the family, who also requested anonymity, referring to the president and the prime minister by their initials. Neither Mahinda Rajapaksa nor the president responded to requests for comment for this story. They have not publicly said anything about their differences. Watch | Gotabaya says can't go as a failed president amid the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka After he quit, Mahinda went into hiding at a naval base and stayed under protection of the armed forces for several days because of the wrath of the protesters. Gotabaya, 72, continues as president, deeply unpopular with many Sri Lankans, while political leaders discuss a move to clip the executive powers of his office. But the Rajapaksas are not done yet. EVIDENCE OF REFORMS The new prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is heavily dependent in parliament on the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party to pass an interim budget within weeks that will outline measures to mend public finances. He has also proposed reforms to curb the president's powers and strengthen parliament in response to demands from protesters. The International Monetary Fund wants evidence of reforms before agreeing to a bailout, for which negotiations are ongoing. Sri Lanka also needs an agreement with bondholders and bilateral creditors to restructure its debt, and regain access to global financial markets. Wickremesinghe belongs to a party that controls just one seat in parliament, while the SLPP and its coalition partners have a comfortable majority in the 225-seat legislature. Events in Sri Lanka are being closely watched in neighbouring India, South Asia's regional heavyweight, and China, which has invested billions of dollars in infrastructure projects in the past decade as part of its Belt and Road Initiative linking it to the rest of the world. Political scientist Jayadeva Uyangoda said Wickremesinghe faced a balancing act to meet the demands of the protesters and Sri Lanka's international creditors, while placating the ruling party with an agenda that Basil would accept. "What Basil Rajapaksa wants will be what parliament approves," Uyangoda said. Basil, who has not spoken publicly since he resigned in early April along with the rest of the cabinet, did not respond to requests for comment. BROTHERS UNITED Among the nine Rajapaksa siblings, Mahinda, Gotabaya and Basil were once a tight-knit political unit. Mahinda, a lawyer by training, became Sri Lanka's youngest ever legislator when he entered parliament in 1970. By 2004, using a combination of political charisma and guile, he rose to become prime minister. The next year, he was voted president. The brother's popularity soared after Mahinda and Gotabaya, a retired infantry officer who was appointed defence secretary, crushed a decades-long Tamil insurgency in the north and east of the country in a brutal government offensive in 2009. Mahinda won a landslide re-election in 2010, promising to heal the country's deep divisions. He also drew Sri Lanka closer to China, inviting heavy investment like the 1.4 billion dollar Hambantota port that irked India, which feared losing influence over its southern neighbour. Then, in 2015, a shock defeat for Mahinda in presidential elections threw the Rajapaksas into disarray. Basil, a US-Sri Lankan dual citizen who served as a long-time adviser to Mahinda while he was president, was instrumental in reshaping a minor political party into the SLPP in 2016, making it the dominant player in Sri Lankan politics. In 2019, coordinated suicide bombings by Islamist militants that killed more than 250 people presented the Rajapaksas with an opening to return to power. With Basil unwilling to renounce his US citizenship and Mahinda barred from standing due to term limits, Gotabaya ran for the presidency and won by a landslide. Mahinda was named prime minister soon after and Basil became finance minister in 2021, but things had started unravelling. DEBATABLE POLICIES, THEN PANDEMIC The start of Sri Lanka's slide into economic chaos can be traced to 2019, when the Rajapaksas implemented populist tax cuts shortly after returning to power, shrugging off criticism from some advisers. Godahewa, the former minister, said he advised Gotabaya that the cuts would be a "disaster" because of the already precarious state of public finances, but was overruled. Government officials have previously said that the tax cuts were aimed at resuscitating the economy by putting more money in the hands of people. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, decimating tourism and with it a critical source of foreign exchange. Foreign worker's remittances also dropped. A manifesto pledge to turn to organic farming and phase out the use of chemical fertilizers over the next decade was implemented abruptly in May 2021 by the president, throwing the country's farming sector into turmoil and leading to food shortages as crop yields fell. By then, relations between Mahinda and Gotabaya had deteriorated. Also read | Sri Lanka's 21st Amendment to Constitution to be submitted to cabinet for approval on Monday The two brothers differed over the president's fertilizer ban, but a move by the prime minister in 2021 to reverse the decision was blocked by Gotabaya's staff, according to the source at the prime minister's residence. No such differences between the two have previously been reported. SPENDING BORROWED CASH Even when the country's massive debt problems became apparent, the Rajapaksas dragged their feet about going to the IMF to seek financial aid. A government official said early this year that Basil, then finance minister, wanted the local economy to shake off the effects of the pandemic before going to the IMF. Shortly after being appointed energy minister in August 2020, former Rajapaksa coalition partner Udaya Gammanpila began poring over the accounts of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), the country's biggest public corporation in terms of turnover, and said he was appalled by what he saw. CPC was selling petroleum products at a huge discount to consumers, and had run up a bill of some 4 dollars billion with suppliers, despite not having adequate income to repay them. In October 2020, he said he warned a cabinet meeting the country was heading towards a foreign currency crisis and suggested restricting non-essential imports and an immediate free-float of the rupee to avoid a currency black market. "We can manage the situation," Gammanpila quoted Mahinda as saying. Gotabaya rarely asserted himself during cabinet meetings, according to Gammanpila and Godahewa. Last month, the government said its foreign reserves had dwindled to almost zero. But Gammanpila said his chief opponent was Basil. The two men clashed frequently, with arguments descending into shouting during at least five cabinet meetings, according to Gammanpila. His description of arguments over economic policy was corroborated by the source close to the family, who said Basil felt he knew what he was doing and shouted down objections. "Other countries spent what they earned," Gammanpila said. "We spent what we borrowed. That was the difference." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Brothers at odds, but ruling family still holds key to Sri Lanka's future

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe took over additional responsibility as he was sworn in as the country's new Minister of Finance, Economic Stability & National Policies. .

Sri Lanka Crisis: PM Ranil Wickremesinghe takes additional charge, sworn in as new Finance Minister

In his first address to the nation - Sri Lanka's new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said his country has only one day of fuel left. Can a war cabinet save Sri Lanka? Molly Gambhir gets you the latest.

Gravitas: Sri Lanka has only one day of fuel left

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe slammed the Opposition leaders for moving a motion in Parliament seeking an urgent debate to censure President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the nation’s worst economic crisis.

Sri Lanka Crisis: Will vote in favour of NCM against President Gotabaya, says PM Wickremesinghe

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in a special televised address commented on how he proposes to confront the current economic crisis.

Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s addresses the nation on economic crisis

Sri Lanka prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in an official statement on Monday that the nation currently has petrol stocks for just one day and he also pointed out that the economy is in a precarious situation with Sri Lanka looking to obtain USD 75 million in the next few days.

“To ease the queues, we must obtain approximately USD 75 million within the next couple of days. At the moment, we only have petrol stocks for a single day. Due to the diesel shipment that arrived yesterday, the diesel lack of diesel will be resolved to some extent. Under the Indian credit line, two more diesel shipments are due to arrive on the 18th May and 1st June. In addition, two petrol shipments are expected on 18th and 29th May,” Wickremesinghe said in his statement according to Newswire.

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The selection for the new prime minister of Sri Lanka came amidst massive uproar against the Rajapaksa family but Wickremesinghe was able to win the support of the two main opposition parties.

The prime minister recognised the situation that the country is going through right now and said that ‘the next couple of months will be the most difficult ones of our lives’.

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“At present, the Sri Lankan economy is extremely precarious. Although the former government’s budget projected a revenue of SLR 2.3 trillion, SLR 1.6 trillion is the realistic projection of this year’s revenue. The estimated government expenditure for this year is SLR 3.3 trillion. However, due to the increase in interest rates and additional expenditure of the former government, the total government expenditure is SLR 4 trillion. The budget deficit for the year is SLR 2.4 trillion,” he said.

The supply of medicines was also affected by the lack of funds and with the inflation going up, the PM said – “We have to continue printing money to pay salaries and for essentials.”

WATCH |&nbsp;Sri Lanka lifted nationwide curfew to celebrate this festival

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Sri Lanka prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in an official statement on Monday that the nation currently has petrol stocks for just one day and he also pointed out that the economy is in a precarious situation with Sri Lanka looking to obtain USD 75 million in the next few days.

Sri Lanka prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in an official statement on Monday that the nation currently has petrol stocks for just one day and he also pointed out that the economy is in a precarious situation with Sri Lanka looking to obtain USD 75 million in the next few days. “To ease the queues, we must obtain approximately USD 75 million within the next couple of days. At the moment, we only have petrol stocks for a single day. Due to the diesel shipment that arrived yesterday, the diesel lack of diesel will be resolved to some extent. Under the Indian credit line, two more diesel shipments are due to arrive on the 18th May and 1st June. In addition, two petrol shipments are expected on 18th and 29th May,” Wickremesinghe said in his statement according to Newswire. Also read | Russia's warning on NATO Nordic expansion: 'Won't simply put up with...' The selection for the new prime minister of Sri Lanka came amidst massive uproar against the Rajapaksa family but Wickremesinghe was able to win the support of the two main opposition parties. The prime minister recognised the situation that the country is going through right now and said that ‘the next couple of months will be the most difficult ones of our lives’. Also read | Chinese media slams G7 for criticising India’s decision to ban wheat export “At present, the Sri Lankan economy is extremely precarious. Although the former government’s budget projected a revenue of SLR 2.3 trillion, SLR 1.6 trillion is the realistic projection of this year’s revenue. The estimated government expenditure for this year is SLR 3.3 trillion. However, due to the increase in interest rates and additional expenditure of the former government, the total government expenditure is SLR 4 trillion. The budget deficit for the year is SLR 2.4 trillion,” he said. The supply of medicines was also affected by the lack of funds and with the inflation going up, the PM said – “We have to continue printing money to pay salaries and for essentials.” WATCH | Sri Lanka lifted nationwide curfew to celebrate this festival

Sri Lanka down to last day of petrol, new prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says

The anti-government campaign continues in Sri Lanka, with protesters asking beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to take accountability for his actions and resign.

Sri Lanka's opposition party has signalled it was not likely to resolve the political and economic disarray in the strategic Indian Ocean island nation.

It comes after Rajapaksa appointed five-time prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to his sixth term.

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Previously, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is the elder brother of Gotabaya, quit as prime minister after violence spiralled between police and government supporters across the country and left nine people dead along with more than 300 wounded.

Eran Wickramaratne, a parliamentarian and senior member of the main opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, said "It is clear the (new) prime minister is remote-controlled by the president."

"This country wants the Rajapaksas to go home. We are committed to that goal," he added.

Meanwhile, Wickremesinghe, who was the only legislator from his United National Party (UNP) which was routed at the August 2020 election that gave Rajapaksa a two-thirds majority, said that the "Gota Go Home" protest should continue.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-to-lift-nationwide-curfew-on-saturday-for-12-hours-478736" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka to lift nationwide curfew on Saturday for 12 hours</a>

After holding an emergency meeting with officials to combat fuel shortage, the 73-year-old held talks with foreign envoys representing India, Japan, the United States, and China to improve ties.

Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a tweet, "Discussed continued cooperation for economic recovery and stability in Sri Lanka through democratic processes."

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High Commissioner called on Hon'ble PM <a href="https://twitter.com/RW_UNP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RW_UNP</a>. Conveyed greetings and good wishes. Discussed continued 🇮🇳🇱🇰 cooperation for economic recovery and stability in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SriLanka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SriLanka</a> through democratic processes towards the well being of all the people of 🇱🇰. <a href="https://t.co/XJur9hGLtw">pic.twitter.com/XJur9hGLtw</a>
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Sri Lanka, which has a population of 22 million, is currently facing its worst economic crisis since its independence from Britain.

The country has defaulted on all of its foreign debt and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for a bailout package.

(With inputs from agencies)

The anti-government campaign continues in Sri Lanka, with protesters asking beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to take accountability for his actions and resign.

The anti-government campaign continues in Sri Lanka, with protesters asking beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to take accountability for his actions and resign. Sri Lanka's opposition party has signalled it was not likely to resolve the political and economic disarray in the strategic Indian Ocean island nation. It comes after Rajapaksa appointed five-time prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to his sixth term. Previously, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is the elder brother of Gotabaya, quit as prime minister after violence spiralled between police and government supporters across the country and left nine people dead along with more than 300 wounded. Eran Wickramaratne, a parliamentarian and senior member of the main opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, said "It is clear the (new) prime minister is remote-controlled by the president." "This country wants the Rajapaksas to go home. We are committed to that goal," he added. Meanwhile, Wickremesinghe, who was the only legislator from his United National Party (UNP) which was routed at the August 2020 election that gave Rajapaksa a two-thirds majority, said that the "Gota Go Home" protest should continue. Also read | Sri Lanka to lift nationwide curfew on Saturday for 12 hours After holding an emergency meeting with officials to combat fuel shortage, the 73-year-old held talks with foreign envoys representing India, Japan, the United States, and China to improve ties. Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a tweet, "Discussed continued cooperation for economic recovery and stability in Sri Lanka through democratic processes." High Commissioner called on Hon'ble PM @RW_UNP. Conveyed greetings and good wishes. Discussed continued 🇮🇳🇱🇰 cooperation for economic recovery and stability in #SriLanka through democratic processes towards the well being of all the people of 🇱🇰. pic.twitter.com/XJur9hGLtw — India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) May 13, 2022 × Sri Lanka, which has a population of 22 million, is currently facing its worst economic crisis since its independence from Britain. The country has defaulted on all of its foreign debt and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for a bailout package. (With inputs from agencies)

Anti-government campaign continues in Sri Lanka despite appointment of a new prime minister

Sri Lanka may have a new Prime Minister but the political turmoil is far from over. The people are still protesting. They want Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down. Meanwhile religious leaders are opposing Ranil Wickremesinghe's appointment as PM. Palki Sharma reports.

Gravitas: Lanka's new Prime Minister says protests should continue

Sri Lanka's new prime minister was struggling Friday to forge a unity government and forestall an imminent economic collapse after a senior opposition figure refused to helm the finance ministry.

Sri Lanka Crisis & Chaos: PM Ranil Wickremesinghe struggles to form unity govt

Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the 26th prime minister of Sri Lanka on Thursday as chaos and violence gripped the crisis-laden country in the wake of its worst economic crisis.

His appointment comes at a time when Sri Lanka has been functioning without an elected government since Monday after Gotabaya's elder brother and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and other cabinet members resigned after violent protests.

The 73-year-old leader is believed to be close to India, and in fact, asserted that he would try to solidify their relationship under his tenure.

His remarkable comeback is noteworthy since his United National Party (UNP) was routed in the general elections held in 2020, where his party managed to win only one seat.

He has been elected to the prime ministership five times since 1993 and has never able to complete his full term.

He is perceived as a pro-West free-market reformist, potentially making bailout negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and others smoother.

Here’s all you need to know about the new Sri Lankan premier.

1. Born in 1949 after Sri Lanka gained independence from the British, Wickremesinghe, a lawyer by profession, was elected to Parliament in 1977 at the age of 28. He hails from a political family and his uncle Junius Jayewardene served as president for more than a decade.

2. As the youngest minister in Sri Lanka at the time, he held the post of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Jayewardene.

3. In an interview to AFP, the 77-year-old leader once said that he would have pursued a career as a journalist, had the then government not nationalised his family's newspaper business in 1973.

4. He has been the chief of the United National Party since 1994. He is the sole representative of his party in the Sri Lankan parliament.&nbsp;

5. Wickremesinghe was first appointed the prime minister in 1993 after the assassination of then-president Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was killed in a bomb attack by separatist outfit LTTE during Sri Lanka's decades-long civil war. His first term lasted little more than a year.&nbsp;

6. He returned to power in 2001, earning a reputation for sound economic management after steering the country out of recession. However, a tussel with the president resulted in him being sacked before his term was over.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-crisis-un-deeply-troubled-by-escalating-violence-477844" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka crisis — PM Ranil Wickremesinghe pledges to uplift the economy</a>

7. He was sworn in as prime minister again in 2015 after the election defeat of president Mahinda Rajapaksa after the opposition rallied behind him as a unity candidate.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/no-interference-in-anti-president-protest-cabinet-members-yet-to-be-decided-sl-pm-wickremesinghe-478440" hreflang="en">No interference in anti-president protest: SL PM Wickremesinghe</a>

8. His "Mr Clean" image was tarnished that year after his government was rocked by an insider trading scam involving central bank bonds. The key accused the central bank chief Arjuna Mahendran, Wickremesinghe's schoolmate and choice for the job.

9.&nbsp; In his political career spanning more than four decades, he lost two presidential contests and led his party to a string of electoral defeats.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the 26th prime minister of Sri Lanka on Thursday as chaos and violence gripped the crisis-laden country in the wake of its worst economic crisis.

Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the 26th prime minister of Sri Lanka on Thursday as chaos and violence gripped the crisis-laden country in the wake of its worst economic crisis. His appointment comes at a time when Sri Lanka has been functioning without an elected government since Monday after Gotabaya's elder brother and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and other cabinet members resigned after violent protests. The 73-year-old leader is believed to be close to India, and in fact, asserted that he would try to solidify their relationship under his tenure. His remarkable comeback is noteworthy since his United National Party (UNP) was routed in the general elections held in 2020, where his party managed to win only one seat. He has been elected to the prime ministership five times since 1993 and has never able to complete his full term. He is perceived as a pro-West free-market reformist, potentially making bailout negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and others smoother. Here’s all you need to know about the new Sri Lankan premier. 1. Born in 1949 after Sri Lanka gained independence from the British, Wickremesinghe, a lawyer by profession, was elected to Parliament in 1977 at the age of 28. He hails from a political family and his uncle Junius Jayewardene served as president for more than a decade. 2. As the youngest minister in Sri Lanka at the time, he held the post of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Jayewardene. 3. In an interview to AFP, the 77-year-old leader once said that he would have pursued a career as a journalist, had the then government not nationalised his family's newspaper business in 1973. 4. He has been the chief of the United National Party since 1994. He is the sole representative of his party in the Sri Lankan parliament. 5. Wickremesinghe was first appointed the prime minister in 1993 after the assassination of then-president Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was killed in a bomb attack by separatist outfit LTTE during Sri Lanka's decades-long civil war. His first term lasted little more than a year. 6. He returned to power in 2001, earning a reputation for sound economic management after steering the country out of recession. However, a tussel with the president resulted in him being sacked before his term was over. Also read | Sri Lanka crisis — PM Ranil Wickremesinghe pledges to uplift the economy 7. He was sworn in as prime minister again in 2015 after the election defeat of president Mahinda Rajapaksa after the opposition rallied behind him as a unity candidate. Also read | No interference in anti-president protest: SL PM Wickremesinghe 8. His "Mr Clean" image was tarnished that year after his government was rocked by an insider trading scam involving central bank bonds. The key accused the central bank chief Arjuna Mahendran, Wickremesinghe's schoolmate and choice for the job. 9. In his political career spanning more than four decades, he lost two presidential contests and led his party to a string of electoral defeats. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Ranil Wickremesinghe? The 26th PM of crisis-hit Sri Lanka

Veteran leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has been appointed as Sri Lanka's new Prime Minister. Will this appointment assuage the protesters? Can Wickremesinghe save the island's sinking economy? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Sri Lanka gets a new Prime Minister

Leader of the United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe has been appointed as the next Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Wickremesinghe took his oath before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a ceremony at the President's residence.

Ranil Wickremesinghe's takes oath as Lankan Prime Minister amid crisis

Sri Lanka has a new Prime Minister but the country's economic and political struggles continue. Ranil Wickremesinghe who has stepped up to bat as a tall order in front of him but before he can do anything he has to prove that he has majority support and former unity government to foster all and imminent economic collapse.

Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as Sri Lanka's new PM but can the veteran leader prove majority?

New Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is known for his pro-Indian stance. While in office Ranil Wickremesinghe took significant steps to enhance ties with India. Earlier, in an exclusive conversation with WION, Wickremesinghe had called New Delhi an important ally of Colombo.

India and Sri Lanka have deep cultural ties, it is one of our important ally: Ranil Wickremesinghe

Sri Lanka Crisis & Chaos: Ranil Wickremesinghe takes oath as new PM

Sri Lanka’s economic crisis worsens. Island nation's President has declared a state of emergency, giving sweeping powers to security forces a day after hundreds tried to storm his house in anger over an unprecedented economic crisis. WION exclusively speaks to former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for more perspective.

The Interview: Exclusive conversation with former Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe

Sri Lanka is battling a financial crisis. What is the way forward for the debt ridden island-nation? Former Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe in an exclusive interview with WION.

Straight Talk: Former Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on island nation's financial crisis

Sri Lanka continues to plunge deeper into financial crisis as inflation rises to record level. Country's former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe speaks to WION about the worsening crisis.

Ruling govt's decision to reduce VAT escalated crisis, says Ranil Wickremesinghe

With medical solutions yet to be achieved, the world is yet to be in a post-pandemic era, said Ranil Wickremesinghe, Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, at the WION Global Summit.

We are not yet in a post-pandemic world, says Ranil Wickremesinghe, Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka

In an exclusive interview with WION's Palki Sharma, Former Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that Sri Lanka is making a serious mistake by cancelling infrastructure & aid projects with India, Japan & US Watch the full interview here.

Gravitas: Exclusive: Ranil Wickremesinghe on WION

Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to step down as leader of Sri Lanka's United National Party, following his humiliating defeat at the parliamentary elections.

UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said that the decision was taken when the UNP Working Committee met on Monday.

Kariyawasam added he, along with Ravi Karunanayake, Vajira Abeywardena, and Daya Gamage, was nominated for the post.

"We believe we can restructure the party and think about the future," he said.

A final decision on the new leader of the party will be made on Wednesday and the recommendation would be presented to the Working Committee of the United National Party.

The Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) led by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his younger brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, registered a landslide victory in the August 5 general election, defeating UNP. They also secured two-thirds majority in the 225-member Parliament.

The SLPP government has 150 members in the House and the combined Opposition strength is limited to 75. 
Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in on Sunday as Sri Lanka's new prime minister.

The United National Party failed to even secure a single seat in the Colombo District -- considered to be their pocketborough.

Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to step down as leader of Sri Lanka's United National Party, following his humiliating defeat at the parliamentary elections. UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said that the decision was taken when the UNP Working Committee met on Monday.

Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to step down as leader of Sri Lanka's United National Party, following his humiliating defeat at the parliamentary elections. UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said that the decision was taken when the UNP Working Committee met on Monday. Kariyawasam added he, along with Ravi Karunanayake, Vajira Abeywardena, and Daya Gamage, was nominated for the post. "We believe we can restructure the party and think about the future," he said. A final decision on the new leader of the party will be made on Wednesday and the recommendation would be presented to the Working Committee of the United National Party. The Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) led by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his younger brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, registered a landslide victory in the August 5 general election, defeating UNP. They also secured two-thirds majority in the 225-member Parliament. The SLPP government has 150 members in the House and the combined Opposition strength is limited to 75. Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in on Sunday as Sri Lanka's new prime minister. The United National Party failed to even secure a single seat in the Colombo District -- considered to be their pocketborough.

Ranil Wickremesinghe to step down as Sri Lanka's UNP leader

In this segment of WION, watch an exclusive conversation with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay with the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe. Ranil Wickremesinghe spoke on the global leadership series on WION, about everything from the COVID-19 pandemic to the dire need of global leadership and on a lighter note about how he keeps himself busy with Hindi movies during the lockdown.

Former Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe speaks with WION on COVID-19 pandemic

In an exclusive conversation with WION's Palki Sharma - Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka should consider asking lenders like China to waive off loans. Take a look.

Gravitas Exclusive: Sri Lanka should consider loan waviers | Ranil Wickremesinghe

In a candid conversation, the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka - Ranil Wickremesinghe spoke to Palki Sharma Upadhyay on the global leadership series on WION, about everything from the COVID-19 pandemic to the dire need of global leadership and on a lighter note about how he keeps himself busy with Hindi movies during the lockdown.

In a candid conversation, the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka - Ranil Wickremesinghe spoke to Palki Sharma Upadhyay on the global leadership series on WION, about everything from the COVID-19 pandemic to the dire need of global leadership and on a lighter note about how he keeps himself busy with Hindi movies during the lockdown. About how Sri Lanka coping with the pandemic – “The health workers, the military and the police are doing a wonderful job. The private sector and people are cooperating” Ranil Wickremesinghe acknowledged. “However, where the government made a lapse is that the equipment should have been arranged early in January. We should have got more testing kits, more face masks, more ventilators and we delayed on that. I hope they are sufficient now because we have to lift this lockdown partially and bring the economy back on. We need to keep testing like Germany and South Korea” he said. On the outbreak being compared to the second world war and as a leader was it the most challenging period he has seen for the world during his lifetime, he said, “It is the most challenging period. Second world war or any war, you knew who the enemy was, but here we don’t know who was responsible (for the pandemic). As I mentioned in Dubai (citing the WION global summit: Dubai, 2020) we have seen the upside of globalization and now we are going to see the downside of globalization and no one thought it would come so fast. It is undermining all the economies. We are all in a very difficult situation globally and there is no global leadership to guide us that is the other problem.” About the failure of leadership and World Bodies like the U.N Security council and W.H.O having come under a fair bit of criticism he answered, “It is a collective failure of the leaders and the institutions. The IMF, World Bank, W.H.O, the U.N - someone has to come forward & lead the world during a crisis, which is not happening.” The former Prime Minister then went on to cite several examples of people taking the leadership mantle during different crises historically from climate change and World War 2 to the economic downturn in 2008. “It is a global pandemic is not a national issue and a global pandemic needs a global response, he stressed. On the question that Pakistan had sought waivers from lenders including China. Should Sri Lanka too ask China for a loan waiver in the light of these developments? He responded, “We can ask China, but whether it is China or any other country, they will have to take a policy decision. Our problem is that the bulk of our foreign loans, about 50% of our debt is international sovereign bonds. Sri Lanka has to pay a billion dollars in a few months. We take it off our reserves and our reserves will come down. I can’t see any new money coming in. Earlier we balanced it out and now we are on the path to repayment. The government is in conversation with the IMF because they have restored the revenue to the levels that the IMF wanted, but it is going to be difficult. We are all going to be in trouble, if not in this year then by next year. The creditor countries must look favourably on the debtor countries.” Finally, how does he spend his time during the lockdown and what does he recommend? He said, “I have been watching Hindi Bollywood movies. Recently watched Hotel Mumbai.” He goes on to mention watching a Hindi film about 3 friends going to Spain (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara) and ends by asking a few movie recommendations from Palki.

‘Coronavirus pandemic betrays collective failures of the leaders and institutions' 

What are the biggest challenges in the 21st century? WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay discusses with: Dr Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Former President, Latvia Mariya Didi, Defence Minister, Maldives Ranil Wickremesinghe, Former Prime Minister, Sri Lanka David Steward, Former South African Ambassador to the UN

Best of WION Global Summit: Leaders who matter

WION hosted a Global summit in Dubai where a discussion was held on "India and the Emerging World: Nationalism, Multilateralism and Creative Diplomacy".&nbsp;

The panellists in this session were BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav, Former Chief of Army Staff of India General Joginder Jaswant Singh (Retd), Former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik (Retd), Founder &amp; CEO of India Inc. Manoj Ladwa.

During the panel discussion, Ram Madhav said, "Nationalism in history and seen various phases, until the advent of Hitler and Mussolini. Today the word has again started finding its own importance and its own relevance. In the 21st Century, nationalism should be protecting the interest of one's own country. As far as India is concerned, we have looked at Nationalism with a beneficial vision, it is for the benefit of an individual in the larger interest. We believe in Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam," referring to nationalistic politics.

Questioned about Nationalism being compared to fascism General Joginder Jaswant Singh said that Only the Indian Ocean is named after India. This is the sphere of influence of India. India is not just India what you see now, India is Hindustan, Al-Hind by Arabs, French and Chinese also named India. China has a huge land-mass called Tibet.&nbsp;

"Kashmir issue is misunderstood by a lot of people around the world.Kashmir has been with us for the last so many years. There should be no doubt in anybody's mind that Kashmir is not an integral part of India.&nbsp;Whether the world supports it or not it will remain an integral part of India," said Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik.

"India is one of the handfull of countries which pays the UN full and on time. Global so-called leaders around the world failed to do that. India has reflected how they respect Global Institutions. International Institutions will have to reform and they will have to reform quickly," said Manoj Ladwa, Founder &amp; CEO @India Inc.

WION hosted a Global summit in Dubai where a discussion was held on "India and the Emerging World: Nationalism, Multilateralism and Creative Diplomacy". The panellists in this session were BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav, Former Chief of Army Staff of India General Joginder Jaswant Singh (Retd), Former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik (Retd), Founder & CEO of India Inc.

WION hosted a Global summit in Dubai where a discussion was held on "India and the Emerging World: Nationalism, Multilateralism and Creative Diplomacy". The panellists in this session were BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav, Former Chief of Army Staff of India General Joginder Jaswant Singh (Retd), Former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik (Retd), Founder & CEO of India Inc. Manoj Ladwa. During the panel discussion, Ram Madhav said, "Nationalism in history and seen various phases, until the advent of Hitler and Mussolini. Today the word has again started finding its own importance and its own relevance. In the 21st Century, nationalism should be protecting the interest of one's own country. As far as India is concerned, we have looked at Nationalism with a beneficial vision, it is for the benefit of an individual in the larger interest. We believe in Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam," referring to nationalistic politics. Questioned about Nationalism being compared to fascism General Joginder Jaswant Singh said that Only the Indian Ocean is named after India. This is the sphere of influence of India. India is not just India what you see now, India is Hindustan, Al-Hind by Arabs, French and Chinese also named India. China has a huge land-mass called Tibet. "Kashmir issue is misunderstood by a lot of people around the world.Kashmir has been with us for the last so many years. There should be no doubt in anybody's mind that Kashmir is not an integral part of India. Whether the world supports it or not it will remain an integral part of India," said Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik. "India is one of the handfull of countries which pays the UN full and on time. Global so-called leaders around the world failed to do that. India has reflected how they respect Global Institutions. International Institutions will have to reform and they will have to reform quickly," said Manoj Ladwa, Founder & CEO @India Inc.

India nationalism is for benefit of an individual in the larger interest: Experts at WION Global Summit

Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe spoke at the WION Global Summit 2020 in Dubai. He said, "The world is suddenly experiencing an unprecedented, multi-area transition ever since the industrial revolution which started 200 years ago....." Watch the video to listen more.

World is suddenly experiencing unprecedented changes | Ranil Wickremesinghe | WION Global Summit

This is an era which is witnessing the end of western dominance, Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister and Chief Guest of WION Global Summit, Ranil Wickremesinghe said in his keynote address on Thursday.

The Sri Lankan leader began his address by lauding India's first international news channel WION as he said, it "is a pioneer in creating a global platform to present the geopolitical analysis of recent South Asian trends".

Live:<a href="http://cms.wionews.com/world/live-wions-global-summit-india-has-arrived-it-is-no-longer-the-old-reticent-india-anymore-says-ram-madhav-284395"> WION's Global Summit — India has arrived. It is no longer the old, reticent India anymore, says Ram Madhav</a> 
&nbsp; 
"This is an era which is witnessing the end of western dominance," said Wickremesinghe in Dubai.

Watch: World leaders watch WION for factual &amp; research coverage, says Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary at WION Global Summit

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"An era is being shaped by new forces... the sudden rise of China in economic, military, political spheres challenging the unipolar world by attempting to remodel the existing global order," the former Sri Lankan PM added.

"The US is politically divided like never before. Even the European Union is divided and weaker", Wickremesinghe also said.

"Coronavirus has brought China, the factory of the world, to a grinding halt. Its impact is also being felt in Sri Lanka," Wickremesinghe, adding, "Maybe it's only China that can face trade war and coronavirus simultaneously".

WION Global Summit is a platform for global leaders to come together at a single platform and have a dialogue on a common global agenda.

In this year's edition, the list of speakers include former Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe; Her Excellency Dr Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, the first Female President of Latvia and former president of Club de Madrid, Aleqa Hammond; The first female Prime Minister of Greenland and Her Excellency Mariya Didi; the Honourable Minister of Defence of the Republic of Maldives.

During the one-day event, the guests will host agenda-driven discussions on topics of global importance including, climate change, global governance, economic slowdown, and global crisis.

This is an era which is witnessing the end of western dominance, Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister and Chief Guest of WION Global Summit, Ranil Wickremesinghe said in his keynote address on Thursday.

This is an era which is witnessing the end of western dominance, Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister and Chief Guest of WION Global Summit, Ranil Wickremesinghe said in his keynote address on Thursday. The Sri Lankan leader began his address by lauding India's first international news channel WION as he said, it "is a pioneer in creating a global platform to present the geopolitical analysis of recent South Asian trends". Live: WION's Global Summit — India has arrived. It is no longer the old, reticent India anymore, says Ram Madhav "This is an era which is witnessing the end of western dominance," said Wickremesinghe in Dubai. Watch: World leaders watch WION for factual & research coverage, says Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary at WION Global Summit × "An era is being shaped by new forces... the sudden rise of China in economic, military, political spheres challenging the unipolar world by attempting to remodel the existing global order," the former Sri Lankan PM added. "The US is politically divided like never before. Even the European Union is divided and weaker", Wickremesinghe also said. "Coronavirus has brought China, the factory of the world, to a grinding halt. Its impact is also being felt in Sri Lanka," Wickremesinghe, adding, "Maybe it's only China that can face trade war and coronavirus simultaneously". WION Global Summit is a platform for global leaders to come together at a single platform and have a dialogue on a common global agenda. In this year's edition, the list of speakers include former Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe; Her Excellency Dr Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, the first Female President of Latvia and former president of Club de Madrid, Aleqa Hammond; The first female Prime Minister of Greenland and Her Excellency Mariya Didi; the Honourable Minister of Defence of the Republic of Maldives. During the one-day event, the guests will host agenda-driven discussions on topics of global importance including, climate change, global governance, economic slowdown, and global crisis.

WION Global Summit: This era is witnessing end of western dominance, says Sri Lanka's former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe

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