Sri Lanka Archives - The Singapore Post

Former envoy lauds India’s decision to allow Pak PM’s aircraft to use its airspace

24Feb

By Yusara AskariNo Comments

Asia, Opinion

Former envoy lauds India’s decision to allow Pak PM’s aircraft to use its airspace

It was a good and positive decision that India took to permit Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s aircraft to use its airspace to travel to Sri Lanka, said former Indian Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia, Ashok Sajjanhar.“It is a good and positive decision that India has taken to permit Imran Khan’s aircraft to overfly the airspace of India to visit Sri Lanka on February 23. India is a large country; India is a magnanimous country. It is a normal global international protocol to allow the aircraft of traveling heads of states, heads of governments to overfly this space. So, I think it is very appropriate,” he said.Sajjanhar further remarked that India has taken this stand when required and that tense relations between the two countries should not stand in the way of normal excha

Indian Housing Project commences in Sri Lanka’s Galle

18Feb

By Yusara AskariNo Comments

Asia

Indian Housing Project commences in Sri Lanka’s Galle

Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay laid the foundation stone for constructing 50 houses at the Walahanduwa Estate in Sri Lanka’s Galle city under Indian Housing Project.He was accompanied by Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure State Minister Jeevan Thondaman and Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana.In a special video message, High Commissioner Baglay addressed the gathering and said that India will continue to support Sri Lanka during these challenging times within the limits of its capacity.He said that India is committed to assist Sri Lanka in its’ overall socio-economic development focusing on the priority areas of the Government.The High Commissioner said that the project to construct 10,000 houses for the plantation area, promised by Indian Prime Minister

India’s Narcotics Bureau nabs heroin smugglers with Sri Lanka-Pakistan links

22Jan

By Yusara AskariNo Comments

Asia

India’s Narcotics Bureau nabs heroin smugglers with Sri Lanka-Pakistan links

Indian Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials in Chennai have caught two Sri Lankan Tamils who were the main conspirators in Rs.100 crore International drugs smuggling case.The two conspirators were living in Chennai by concealing their real identity.As per reports, the case is about a drug-laden vessel, ‘Shenaya Duwa’, that was intercepted by Indian Coast Guard in November last year, off the Tuticorin Coast in Tamil Nadu.99 packets of heroin, 20 boxes of synthetic drugs and five 9mm pistols were unearthed from an unapproachable location on-board the vessel, besides a Thuraya satellite phone set.The preliminary investigation had revealed that the drugs were transferred onto the Sri Lankan vessel ‘Shenaya Duwa’ on the high seas by a Pakistani dhow from Karachi and the contraband was meant

Is the Chinese shipbuilding industry going up in smoke?

26Sep

By Stuart WhiteNo Comments

Business, Opinion

Is the Chinese shipbuilding industry going up in smoke?

Amidst the tensions caused by the coronavirus outbreak, one image that recently caught global attention was the fire on board the PLA Navy’s latest Type 075 landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious ship.On the morning of 11 April 2020, the PLA Navy’s LHD caught fire, as smoke was observed coming out of rear hangar opening and lift near island superstructure. Within ten days, the damaged ship was painted to hide the black smoke marks on its superstructure and readied for the launch ceremony of PLA Navy’s second Type 075, on 22 April 2020. The intensity of smoke indicates a major fire which would have caused significant damage to the ship’s aft section, equipment and electrical cables, with resultant time penalties for their repair and replacement.The fire, while extinguished has rekindled t

Was Angoda Lokka setting up drug smuggling network in India?

25Sep

By Yusara AskariNo Comments

Asia, Business

Was Angoda Lokka setting up drug smuggling network in India?

According to Indian probe agencies, Sri Lanka’s underworld figure Angoda Lokka, who died under mysterious circumstances in July, was developing a local network for smuggling drugs under the garb of supplying protein supplements to gyms.“The protein supplement business could be a cover for dealing in drugs, given that Lokka was part of the syndicate in Sri Lanka which ran a major drug trafficking racket. Just a few days ago, the Sri Lankan authorities seized 42 kg of heroin at the instance of one of his close accomplices, Shabdeen Zubair, who was arrested along with three others,” said a government official familiar with the findings.The investigators have also detected a “hawala” channel being run from Dubai, through which funds were also being managed for Lokka.“Payments for the heroin co