Modi, Dissanayake talk about ‘power cooperation’ over phone name

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday had a phone dialog to debate the battle in West Asia, the disruption in world provide chains, and the power cooperation between India and Sri Lanka, the leaders mentioned on social media platform ‘X’.

“This night [March 24, 2026], I held a phone dialog with Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi concerning the escalating scenario within the Center East. We mentioned its influence on regional and world provide chains, in addition to power cooperation and regional safety between our two nations,” Mr. Dissanayake mentioned in a publish.

Mr. Modi, too, posted on the decision. “Spoke with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and mentioned the evolving scenario in West Asia, with specific concentrate on disruptions affecting world power safety. We reviewed progress on key initiatives geared toward strengthening India-Sri Lanka power cooperation and enhancing regional safety. As shut and trusted companions, we reaffirmed our dedication to work intently collectively in addressing shared challenges,” he mentioned.

Vitality conservation

The phone name was initiated by the Sri Lankan authorities, official sources instructed The Hindu, whilst Colombo takes a sequence of measures to deal with the approaching power disaster, together with rationing gas provide with a weekly quota for autos, and a pointy improve in gas costs just a few days in the past. On Monday, Mr. Dissanayake instructed the officers to take “all doable measures” in the direction of power conservation, by elevating public consciousness on cautious use of power in the course of the peak hours, an announcement from his workplace mentioned. Final week, the federal government additionally declared Wednesdays off for public sector staff to save lots of gas utilization.

The decision between Mr. Modi and Mr. Dissanayake comes a day after dialog between Exterior Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Sri Lankan International Minister Vijitha Herath, following which Mr. Jaishankar mentioned in a social media publish that he mentioned the repercussions of the West Asia battle. “India stands dedicated to #NeighbourhoodFirst and #VisionMAHASAGAR,” he mentioned within the publish on ‘X’. Because the battle in West Asia escalated, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives requested power provides from India, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs mentioned on March 12, 2026.

Within the wake of an imminent power disaster, Mr. Herath earlier referred to as the India-backed Trincomalee oil tank farm challenge, within the island’s Japanese Province, the “everlasting resolution” to managing such conditions. Final April, throughout Mr. Modi’s go to to the island, the 2 nations signed a set of MoUs. Vitality sector cooperation — together with power grid connection and creating Trincomalee as an power hub in partnership with the United Arab Emirates — was key amongst them.