Sri Lanka, April 21 -- In April 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sri Lanka resulted in the signing of seven Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between New Delhi and Colombo. These agreements, particularly the Defence Cooperation MoU, have sparked significant debate about transparency, sovereignty, and the historical context of Indo-Lanka relations.

The Recent MoUs and Their Significance

Among the seven agreements signed during Modi's visit, three stand out as especially consequential: the MoU on implementing HVDC Interconnection for power import/export, the MoU on cooperation between India, Sri Lanka, and the UAE to develop Trincomalee as an energy hub, and most controversially, the MoU on defence cooperation. The...