The chairman of the Adani Group, Gautam Adani met with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo, barely weeks after his company signed an agreement with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) to develop the Western Container Terminal (WCT) at the Colombo Port.
Indian news agency PTI reported that the Indian tycoon is on a private visit to the island nation.
Sri Lankan newspaper Daily Mirror said: "Gautam Adani and his team arrived in Mannar today on a special helicopter belonging to the Sri Lanka Air Force to explore the possibility of investing in a renewable energy project at the Mannar wind power plant. They left for Colombo this afternoon after inspecting the wind power project in Mannar".
Grateful to the leaders of GoI, GoSL, SLPA & John Keells for the opportunity to build WCT, Colombo. This partnership is a symbol of the deep strategic relations between countries with great intertwined history. It will launch decades of container growth. https://t.co/YehqutSwcp
— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) March 15, 2021
The newspaper added that officials from the Adani Group visited the north eastern district of Mannar on Monday to inspect the wind power farm. The 10-member delegation with Adani travelled to Mannar on a Sri Lanka Airforce helicopter.
The Ahmedabad-based Adani is also expected to meet up with top Sri Lankan dignitaries to discuss the development of the WCT.
Another Sri Lankan newspaper, Daily FT reported that the Indian businessman is interested in projects related to ports, power and renewable energy in Sri Lanka.
Last month in a surprising development for India, Sri Lanka had given the WCT project to the Adani Group. Colombo had earlier during the year cancelled India and Japan out of a similar project, the Eastern Container Terminal, drawing ire from both the countries.
However, Sri Lanka made amends with India by awarding the WCT–a $700 million Build-Operate-Transfer project–which is believed to be the largest foreign investment in the island nation's port related projects. With this project, Sri Lanka will deal directly with the Adani Group and not with both India and Japan.
Due to Sri Lanka's strategic location in the Indian Ocean, the Colombo Port is a regional hub with major shipping happening between India and Sri Lanka.
PTI news service said: "The Adani group has yesterday explored the possibility of investing in Sri Lanka’s wind and renewable energy sector," Nalinda Ilangakoon, the Vice Chairman of Ceylon Electricity Board, told reporters in Colombo.
India dents Chinese influence in Sri Lanka through Colombo port deal
Indian Navy sends training mission to Sri Lanka to revive military ties in South Asia
