In the lead up to Sri Lanka’s Presidential election in October 2024, there have been numerous visits by foreign governments to create a good rapport with the various candidates. Visits by great powers to Sri Lanka appear to be a tradition before a national election or during global calamities. My analyses over the years indicate an increase in the frequency of interactions and their breadth during the visits. 

In order to ascertain this tug-of-war, this article is divided into three sections: first, the QUAD visits; second, the Chinese engagements, and third Sri Lanka’s future in the Indian Ocean.

The article was originally published in the DailyFT and can be read here.