NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka’s new president arrived in India on Sunday on his first foreign trip in office, trying to rebuild ties hit by tensions over growing Chinese influence on the strategically located island.

Maithripala Sirisena landed in New Delhi for the four-day trip aimed at allaying Indian fears over China’s influence on the island that strengthened under president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s decade-long rule.

Mr Sirisena, who defeated Mr Rajapaksa in a presidential election last month, is due to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, and will later be guest of honour at a banquet.

Also read: Sri Lankan FM in India to improve strained ties

Mr Sirisena, accompanied by his wife Jayanthi Pushpa Kumari, waved to waiting media before being greeted at the airport by India’s junior minister for shipping P. Radhakrishnan.

India has long considered Sri Lanka to be within its strategic sphere of influence. But China ploughed huge sums into Sri Lankan infrastructure projects, becoming the country’s biggest foreign financier and enjoying significant political and even military influence under Mr Rajapaksa.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2015

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