Colombo: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will visit India on Sunday for discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking his first overseas trip since taking office.

The three-day visit underscores the tradition of Sri Lankan leaders prioritizing India, a regional ally, for their first foreign engagements. India and China have been competing for influence in the strategically located Indian Ocean nation, with New Delhi particularly attentive to Beijing’s growing presence in Sri Lanka.

During his visit, Dissanayake will meet Prime Minister Modi and other Indian officials to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation, according to Sri Lanka’s Information Minister Nalinda Jayatissa.

Dissanayake, a leftist leader who assumed office in September with promises to tackle corruption, solidified his position after his party achieved a sweeping victory in recent parliamentary elections.

India has been ramping up its involvement in Sri Lanka through infrastructure projects, while China remains the island nation’s largest bilateral lender. Chinese loans have funded numerous large-scale infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka, some of which have been criticized as financially unsustainable.

President Dissanayake’s visit comes against the backdrop of Sri Lanka's economic recovery after its worst financial crisis in 2022. The crisis saw the nation default on $46 billion in foreign debt, leaving it unable to pay for essential imports like food and fuel.

At the time of the default, China accounted for more than half of Sri Lanka’s $13.8 billion bilateral debt, with Japan holding 19.5 percent and India 12 percent.

Dissanayake is also scheduled to visit Beijing next month to hold talks with Chinese leaders, further highlighting the delicate balancing act Sri Lanka faces between its key partners, India and China.