Overview
- Anura Kumara Dissanayake took the oath as Sri Lanka’s 9th Executive President on September 23, 2024, promising a new era of political reform and economic sovereignty.
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Dissanayake, emphasizing the importance of Sri Lanka in India's Neighbourhood First policy and regional security initiatives.
- Dissanayake's administration plans to renegotiate the terms of the IMF bailout to make austerity measures more bearable for the economically disadvantaged.
- The new president faces challenges in navigating a fractured parliament and has indicated he may call for new elections to better reflect public will post-2022 protests.
- Dissanayake's presidency could lead to a rebalancing of Sri Lanka's foreign relations, potentially reducing Chinese influence while fostering closer ties with regional partners like India.