Options for the new president of Sri Lanka: India or China, or India and China

All eyes are on what position new Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake might take as his alliance gives the first impression that he will try to bring his debt-ridden country closer to China.

However, the AKD, as it is popularly known, has expressed its desire not to be ‘sandwiched’ between India and China. While India was the largest importer of goods from Sri Lanka after the US in 2023 (UK was several years ahead of India), compared to a minuscule share from China, the dragon has made a much larger contribution to the