(Video) Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) The Big Picture: Indian Ocean Islands Diplomacy

Topic: Indian Ocean Islands Diplomacy

Guest:

Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha (Retd., Maritime Expert)
Harsh V. Pant, (Head, Strategic Studies, Observer Research Foundation)
Vivek Katju, (Former Ambassador)

Topic Description:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a telephonic conversation on Saturday agreed to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka and discussed the possibility of promoting investments by India’s private sector. The move assumes significance against the backdrop of China’s concerted push to develop infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka and other countries under its Belt and Road Initiative, which has led to criticism from the US about these countries being exposed to predatory loans. PM Modi also had a telephone conversation with his counterpart in Mauritius, and discussed enhancing cooperation in several areas, including measures to support the financial sector of Mauritius.