NEW DELHI: The
Ministry of External Affairs
on Friday described as "factually incorrect" the Sri Lankan government's claim that a proposal on Colombo Port's
Western Container Terminal
has been approved by the
Indian High Commission
, and said it understands that the Lankan dispensation has engaged directly with investors on this project.
Sri Lanka
announced on Tuesday that it has approved the proposal to develop the strategic Colombo Port's Western Container Terminal (WCT) under a joint venture with India and Japan for a period of 35 years, weeks after it scrapped a trilateral deal with both countries to develop another terminal at the same port.
The Cabinet memorandum said that the proposal presented by
Adani Ports
and special economic zone limited (APSEZ Consortium) has been approved by the Indian High Commission.
Asked about it at an online media briefing, MEA spokesperson
Anurag Srivastava
said, "Our High Commission in Colombo has already conveyed to the government of Sri Lanka that their media release in so far as the reference to the approval of the High Commission was concerned, is factually incorrect."
"We understand that the government of Sri Lanka has engaged directly with investors on this project," he said.
