Modi, Dissanayake discuss ‘energy cooperation’ over telephone call

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday had a telephone conversation to discuss the war in West Asia, the disruption in global supply chains, and the energy cooperation between India and Sri Lanka, the leaders said on social media platform ‘X’.

“This evening [March 24, 2026], I held a telephone conversation with Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi regarding the escalating situation in the Middle East. We discussed its impact on regional and global supply chains, as well as energy cooperation and regional security between our two nations,” Mr. Dissanayake said in a post.

Mr. Modi, too, posted on the call. “Spoke with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and discussed the evolving situation in West Asia, with particular focus on disruptions affecting global energy security. We reviewed progress on key initiatives aimed at strengthening India-Sri Lanka energy cooperation and enhancing regional security. As close and trusted partners, we reaffirmed our commitment to work closely together in addressing shared challenges,” he said.

Energy conservation

The telephone call was initiated by the Sri Lankan government, official sources told The Hindu, even as Colombo takes a series of measures to cope with the imminent energy crisis, including rationing fuel supply with a weekly quota for vehicles, and a sharp increase in fuel prices a few days ago. On Monday, Mr. Dissanayake instructed the officials to take “all possible measures” towards energy conservation, by raising public awareness on careful use of energy during the peak hours, a statement from his office said. Last week, the government also declared Wednesdays off for public sector workers to save fuel usage.

The call between Mr. Modi and Mr. Dissanayake comes a day after conversation between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, following which Mr. Jaishankar said in a social media post that he discussed the repercussions of the West Asia conflict. “India stands committed to #NeighbourhoodFirst and #VisionMAHASAGAR,” he said in the post on ‘X’. As the war in West Asia escalated, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives requested energy supplies from India, the Ministry of External Affairs said on March 12, 2026.

In the wake of an imminent energy crisis, Mr. Herath earlier called the India-backed Trincomalee oil tank farm project, in the island’s Eastern Province, the “permanent solution” to managing such situations. Last April, during Mr. Modi’s visit to the island, the two countries signed a set of MoUs. Energy sector cooperation — including energy grid connection and developing Trincomalee as an energy hub in partnership with the United Arab Emirates — was key among them.