Indian officials in Sri Lanka for talks on ailing economy

By KRISHAN FRANCIS and BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI
Associated Press

COLOMB0, Sri Lanka (AP) — Senior Indian officials are in Sri Lanka for talks on how to help the island nation weather an unprecedented economic crisis. The Indian delegation’s visit Thursday followed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s declaration that Sri Lanka’s economy had “collapsed.” Sri Lankans have endured months of shortages of food, fuel and other necessities due to the country’s dwindling foreign exchange reserves and mounting debt, worsened by the pandemic and other longer term troubles. The prime minister’s gloomy comments appeared aimed at fending off criticism over a deteriorating situation long in the making. Economists and other Sri Lankans said Thursday they were hoping the government would come up with solutions to the problems.