Political analyst Dayan Jayatilleke has voiced concern over reports in the Indian media claiming that Sri Lanka has signed a defense agreement with India to allow the construction of Indian weapons factories and storage facilities on Sri Lankan soil.
Speaking in a discussion aired by Hiru TV, Jayatilleke stated that while the Sri Lankan government refers to the deal as a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Indian media outlets are describing it as a formal defense agreement—raising questions about the true nature and implications of the deal.
He warned that such developments could compromise Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and urged the government to maintain an independent foreign policy stance. Jayatilleke emphasized that Sri Lanka should not be positioned as a subordinate state to India, nor should it become entangled in strategic power plays between global powers such as China and the United States.
In a pointed remark, he criticized the current trajectory of leadership, suggesting that under the prevailing circumstances, the President of Sri Lanka is gradually being reduced to the status of a provincial chief minister under the Indian Prime Minister.
The comments add to a growing public discourse over regional influence and national autonomy amid deepening economic and defense ties with neighboring India.
