Lanka’s claim of Indian mission approval for WCT project proposal ‘factually incorrect’: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday described as “factually incorrect” the Sri Lankan government’s claim that a proposal on Colombo Port’s Western Container Terminal has been approved by the Indian High Commission, and said it understands that the Lankan dispensation has engaged directly with investors on this project.

Sri Lanka announced on Tuesday that it has approved the proposal to develop the strategic Colombo Port’s Western Container Terminal (WCT) under a joint venture with India and Japan for a period of 35 years, weeks after it scrapped a trilateral deal with both the countries to develop another terminal at the same port.

The Cabinet memorandum said that the proposal presented by

and special economic zone limited (APSEZ Consortium) has been approved by the Indian High Commission.

Asked about it at an online media briefing here, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “Our High Commission in Colombo has already conveyed to the government of Sri Lanka that their media release insofar as the reference to the approval of the High Commission was concerned, is factually incorrect.”

“We understand that the government of Sri Lanka has engaged directly with investors on this project,” he said.