Big Picture: Colombo Port City & Security Concerns

Last week, India said it is keeping an eye on the China-backed Colombo Port City project in Sri Lanka that is being touted as a big ticket investment drawing scheme which would boost the island nation’s economy.

The project has been in the works for a while but last week, the Sri Lankan parliament approved the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill after a two-day debate on it. The Opposition parties in Sri Lanka are against the bill which they say will lead to the creation of a Chinese colony in Sri Lanka.

The $ 1.4-billion Colombo Port City project is expected to play a key role in China's ambitious 'Maritime Silk Road' project in India's backyard. It is also said to be the single largest private sector development in Sri Lanka. China has built the port city on reclaimed sea, adjoining the Port of Colombo.

In this edition of The Big Picture we analyse the Colombo Port City project in Sri Lanka.

Anchor: Frank Rausan Pereira, Editor-in-Chief, Bharata First

Guests:
Gurjit Singh, Former Ambassador... ///
Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha (Retd.), Defence Expert... ///
Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, Foreign Editor, Hindustan Times... ///

Further Viewing:
Big Picture: Fundamental Rights & Reasonable Restrictions

FRP Explains: Is Our Bureaucracy Still Colonial?

Big Picture: China's Three-Child Policy

FRP Explains: Do we need the Central Vista Project?

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UPSC Mains Probable Question:
Chinese are using BRI to Supplant India from South Asia and creating debt traps across the globe to build a support base which will prevent India from being the dominant power in South Asia. How can India combat this issue and improve its dominance over South Asia?

Quiz Link:

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#BharataFirst

[shubhambatra]

sir please provide captions with the video

[MaverickUPSC]

I think now it is high time, Upsc mentors must start recommending Bharata first debates rather than RSTV debates.

[npd]

Gadkari during previous govt had proposed for a walking bridge connecting India and Srilanka. The same Srilankan politician rejected it by saying laborer's would come from India, especially Tamil Nadu, which would damage their diversity.

[rishipattanaik]

It stands their due to failure of our foreign policy. Time for bureaucrats accountability

[paragvade]

Summary-
In spite of being the closest maritime neighbor, ties with Sri Lanka have eroded in recent past. Sri Lanka backtracked from the agreement of East Container Terminal reached with India and Japan by giving it to China. However, it has to be realized sooner than later that every dollar invested by China comes with terms and conditions. Sri Lanka had to give Hambantota port on lease to China when it incurred huge losses and couldn't repay the debt. The economy of Sri Lanka is being in trouble as witnessed from the fact that country has asked for currency swap agreement from Bangladesh.
From Indias perspective, Colombo post city posses a huge security threat. It is situated just 300km from Kanyakumari. Now China will have presence in the southern backyard also after CPEC passing through PoK in the northern India.
India must proactively push back every attempt to threaten sovereignty of the country. To this end, opportunity to develop WTC must be grabbed. Moreover, we must develop transshipment ports to reduce dependence on Sri Lanka and Singapore. More importance needs to be given to economic diplomacy over political and cultural.

[sweetykashyap]

Plz give Hindi subtitles.... All eng conversation

[ashleshaa]

High time for Sri Lanka to revise its strategies and have a far sighted approach.

[thegovernor]

Mr. Pal stands out the most from rest of the panel

[ajanantonyraj]

SL is in Chinese Alliance, and against India. Soon SL will be another Ladak for South India.

Soon India will see Chinese War ships crossing into Indian sea terriories from SL sea ports.

India now has to support SL Tamils.

[amilawedikkara]

All 3 speakers doesn't have any reliable source of information. All have been called to there friends here in SL(no any study/research paper). My worry is why India not attending in a strategic manner rather emotional. We Sri Lankans, ordinary people, like to see more Indian involment to maintain balance. Development of SL is only depend on development of India (Not because of China)

[PrashantKumar-bzms]

India should be more wary of china's presence in littorals and QUAD is the right step but also needs to forge more strategic and deep relations with coastal

[akashsaini]

About srilanka ( Asia continent)
Cap. Sri jayawardenapura
Get freedom from Bratain on January 4, 1948
.. Two port are Hambantota, Colombo
China is developing all these two ports
Alifenta pass, , connect Srilanka to China
Big river is mahavali
Tea export
LTTE, , liberation Tigers of Tamil

[shraniksachdeva]

And today I unsubscribed RajyaSabha TV.

[werw]

India supported ltte terrorists against the sinhalese. We will never forget this. Sri lanka will always support China and Pakistan. Not just for economic reasons but for our security against Indian aggression.

[akashsaini]

श्रीलंका India ka part hai
श्री राम won srilanka 😀😀
In ramayana point of view🕌

[ranilprasanna]

Srilanka never become converting we are not moving to any country

[helsreach]

We should punish shrilanka why we not taking steps, what kind regional power calling ourselves when a island nation is hurting our interest . For this treacherous behave I like to threatened with punitive action .