Sri Lanka’s new leader must balance ties between regional powerhouses India and China

Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The Marxist lawmaker who won Sri Lanka’s presidency faces a key challenge in how to balance ties with his country’s two most crucial partners, India and China, as he seeks to draw foreign investment and pull the economy out of the doldrums. Anura Kumara Dissanayake won the weekend election in an extraordinary political upset against an old political guard, whom voters blame for tipping the country into an economic crisis two years ago. Dissanayake must now deliver on promises to improve Sri Lankans’ lives, clean up government and ease austerity measures imposed by international lenders. Looking beyond Sri Lanka’s borders, he also must navigate the rivalry between regional powerhouses India and China.