COLOMBO – The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka has disassociated itself with Colombo’s announcement suggesting that New Delhi was involved in approving an investment into the West Container Terminal (WCT) in Colombo port.
Indian diplomats said they were “surprised” by the Cabinet statement that India had approved an investment in the WCT.
“Approvals of investments in Sri Lanka is a matter for Sri Lankan authorities and not the Indian High Commission,” a diplomatic source said.
Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers had on Monday (March 1), cleared the West Container Terminal to be developed as a built operate transfer (BOT) public-private partnership with Sri Lanka Ports Authority and parties nominated by Indian and Japanese governments.
A plan approved by the Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee (CANC) had been forwarded to India and Japan, the government said on Tuesday (2).
“The proposal presented by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ Consortium has been approved by the Indian High Commission,” the government said in its statement listing cabinet decisions.
“No investor has been named by the Japanese government.”
The statement was not clear on whether India had nominated a party for the West Terminal.
India had earlier nominated Adani for the East Container Terminal joint venture project which Sri Lanka has since reversed.
-economynext.com