Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday spoke to his Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena, covering bilateral issues as well as regional cooperation under seven-nation grouping BIMSTEC. The conversation came amid growing concern in India about the China-backed Colombo Port City project in Sri Lanka, Indian media reported. India has been pushing for expanding regional cooperation under the framework of BIMSTEC. The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is an inter-governmental organisation aimed at strengthening regional cooperation. Noted the continuing progress in our bilateral cooperation,” the external affairs minister tweeted.

Source: The Nation June 21, 2021 18:56 UTC