“India Out” Kicks off in Sri Lanka?

Are Sri Lankans joining the Regional Uproar Over Alleged Indian Influence and Economic Encroachment, following the lead of Maldives and Bangladesh?

A widespread campaign against perceived Indian hegemony gains momentum in Sri Lanka, sparked by a contentious issue at the airport involving the delegation of visa issuance authority to a foreign entity, reportedly linked to India. The protest underscores deeper concerns about economic control and sovereignty, as demonstrators decry what they see as a pattern of Indian encroachment across strategic sectors of the Sri Lankan economy and state apparatus.

Protest against Indian influence in front of Immigration and Emigration Department today in Colombo.

“We are not a slave of Indian hegemony,” one protester told the media. “We will continue this protest in very strong terms if the government does not take proper action,” she added.

Another protester articulated to the media, “As you can see, we are in front of the National Immigration Office here to protest against the decision to transfer the right of our state to issue visas to visiting foreigners, non-Sri Lankan citizens, through an Indian proxy campaign. We see this incident not as a standalone issue, but as an interconnected issue of the wider Indian efforts to take over strategic sectors of our economy and our state.”

Adding fuel to the fire, concerns are raised about political collaboration and economic exploitation. “Akhand Bharat never existed in history and it will never be. But nevertheless, our corrupt politicians in this government and also in the opposition who want to come to power with Indian help think if they cooperate with India, it will be easier for them to take over,” remarked another protester.

The sentiment is compounded by grievances over previous economic agreements and ventures perceived to favor Indian interests. “Already the Mattala airport has been given to Indian management. We see how the efforts have been taken to sign ECTA, an extremely draconian free trade agreement that serves the interest of the Indian state, but not the Sri Lankan populace or the Sri Lankan state,” highlighted a demonstrator.

Meanwhile, issuing a statement, the Indian High Commission in Colombo yesterday asserted that the foreign company involved does not belong to India, and its headquarters are not located in India. However, the statement did little to assuage concerns as the protest continues to escalate, prompting scrutiny of bilateral agreements and the broader geopolitical implications for Sri Lanka’s autonomy and national security.