Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader and opposition MP Mano Ganesan on Saturday slammed the Sri Lankan government over the exit of Adani Green Energy from the island nation, saying that it has sent the wrong signal to the world.

Speaking in Parliament during a debate, Ganesan accused the government of mishandling the project and asserted that it was not the administration that dropped Adani, but rather the Indian conglomerate that abandoned the government.

“You didn’t drop Adani. The truth is Adani dropped you,” he said, criticising the government and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake over its handling of the project.

Furthermore, the opposition MP also argued that the Adani project was not just about supplying energy to Sri Lanka’s domestic grid but also aimed at exporting power to India, a move that could have generated revenue for the island nation.

“Our concerns over pricing, if any, could have been negotiated. Instead, this government failed to recognise the long-term economic benefits of energy exports to India,” Ganesan said.

The MP also questioned President Anura Dissanayake’s recent visit to the United Arab Emirates, questioning its outcome.

“President went to the UAE and returned. What happened there? Is any investment coming in? International investors, especially from the Middle East and Europe, would only consider Sri Lanka if Indian partnerships were in place,” he said.

Ganesan also described Adani’s withdrawal as a “major blunder” that could deter future investments in Sri Lanka, particularly in the renewable energy and infrastructure sectors.

Taking to social media, Ganesan reiterated his concerns and said, “The prospective energy export through grid connectivity with India would have brought revenue to Sri Lanka. You failed to understand this with an eye on the future. The exit of Adani has sent wrong signals to potential foreign investors looking at Sri Lanka”.

Last month, Adani Green Energy announced its withdrawal from two proposed wind power projects in Sri Lanka, following the new government’s decision to renegotiate tariffs. The decision was conveyed in a letter sent by the company to Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment.

Adani’s renewable energy arm had planned a USD 442 million investment in Sri Lanka’s wind power sector, covering both generation and transmission. However, the newly-elected government under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake aimed to cut electricity costs tied to Indian conglomerate’s energy projects in the country.

Source: India Today
--Agencie