Sri Lankan PM Rajapaksa offers prayer at Venkateswara Swamy temple in Andhra Pradesh

He pointed out that "countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka have experienced periods of political instability in recent years, often marked by public unrest and changes in government." According to Rajapaksa, at times these disruptions have been "supported and promoted by extremist elements," which has compounded the challenges faced by these nations.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sri Lanka's Independence Day extended his felicitations to Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and reaffirmed India's commitment to strengthening its "multi-faceted partnership" with Sri Lanka.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe and presidential candidate Namal Rajapaksa participated in the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election today, urging citizens to make their voices heard. This election is pivotal as the nation recovers from the 2022 economic crisis. A total of 38 candidates are vying for leadership, with economic issues at the forefront of voters' concerns.

Namal Rajapaksa, the presidential candidate and son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, cast his vote in the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election. He also encouraged citizens to do the same, emphasising that every single vote counts for the future of Sri Lanka.

The crisis, which led to widespread food and fuel shortages, prompted Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country in 2022. The economic policy of Rajapaksa, followed by the onset of the Covid pandemic, is believed to have led to the worst economic crisis in the island nation.