Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Sri Lanka in April to sign several agreements and inaugurate the long-delayed Sampur solar power plant in Trincomalee, Vijitha Herath confirmed on Saturday.
"We have maintained a close relationship with our neighbour India. Our first diplomatic visit was to India, where we reached several agreements on bilateral cooperation," Herath stated.
[The visit](https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/pm-modi-to-visit-sri-lanka-next-month-to-finalise-agreements-on-cooperation-7928820) comes as New Delhi continues to attempt to expand its influence in the strategically important Trincomalee region—a deep-water harbour located in the Tamil North-East.
**Sampur Solar Power Plant: Two Decades of Delays**
The Sampur solar power plant project has faced nearly two decades of delays due to bureaucratic hurdles and shifting political priorities. Now, the Trincomalee Power Company Ltd, a joint venture between India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), is set to move forward with an initial 50-megawatt solar power plant, followed by a 70-megawatt expansion.
The project is expected to play a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s renewable energy sector, particularly as the country grapples with an economic crisis and seeks alternatives to costly fossil fuel imports.
Despite the renewed commitment, Sri Lanka's foreign policy stance remains under scrutiny. "We will remain neutral in our foreign policy without taking any sides while working to maintain national interest," Herath claimed.
Modi’s visit comes amidst Sri Lanka’s ongoing dispute with India’s Adani Group, which had previously announced it would withdraw from its wind power projects after the Sri Lankan government demanded a price revision. The new administration, led by Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has said Adani’s wind power projects in Mannar and Pooneryn will only be reconsidered if the Indian conglomerate agrees to reduce the previously agreed pricing.
**Trincomalee: The capital of Tamil Eelam**
Trincomalee, home to one of the deepest natural harbours in the world and was once designated the capital of Tamil Eelam.
Successive Sri Lankan governments have pursued militarisation and Sinhalisation in the region, displacing local Tamil populations and altering the demographic composition.
India has sought to strengthen its presence in Trincomalee, not only through energy projects like Sampur, but also by pushing for greater control over Trincomalee’s oil tank farm. The tank farm, which dates back to World War II, has been a major point of contention, with India seeking a long-term lease to solidify its presence