Latest news with #HarshadeSilva
Economic Times
a day ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Sri Lankan MP backs India amid tariff row
Synopsis Amid India-US trade issues, a Sri Lankan MP, Harsha de Silva, backs India. He highlighted India's support to Sri Lanka during its economic crisis. De Silva urged against mocking India's situation. He reminded everyone of India's generosity when Colombo faced difficulties. India provided significant financial assistance to Sri Lanka in 2022. The MP's statement occurred during a parliamentary debate. New Delhi: Amid the India-US tariff standoff, a Sri Lankan parliamentarian has come out in support of New Delhi and drawn attention to how the Indian government came to Colombo's aid when the island nation was facing a crisis. During a recent parliamentary debate on the growing India-US trade tension, Colombo district MP and former minister Harsha de Silva reminded critics of India's generosity during Sri Lanka's difficult days, according to people in the know. "Don't laugh at India. Don't mock them when they are down, because when we were down, they were the only ones to lend us a hand," a source quoted de Silva as saying. "It ain't over until the fat lady sings. We witnessed you laughing. Don't laugh. India expected the tariffs to come down to 15%, and so did we."India had provided close to $4 billion in assistance to Sri Lanka during the economic crisis in 2022.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Sri Lankan MP backs India amid tariff row
New Delhi: Amid the India-US tariff standoff, a Sri Lankan parliamentarian has come out in support of New Delhi and drawn attention to how the Indian government came to Colombo's aid when the island nation was facing a crisis. During a recent parliamentary debate on the growing India-US trade tension , Colombo district MP and former minister Harsha de Silva reminded critics of India 's generosity during Sri Lanka 's difficult days, according to people in the know. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program "Don't laugh at India. Don't mock them when they are down, because when we were down, they were the only ones to lend us a hand," a source quoted de Silva as saying. "It ain't over until the fat lady sings. We witnessed you laughing. Don't laugh. India expected the tariffs to come down to 15%, and so did we." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Undo India had provided close to $4 billion in assistance to Sri Lanka during the economic crisis in 2022.
India.com
a day ago
- Business
- India.com
It Aint Over Till The Fat Lady Sings: Sri Lankan MP Backs India Amid US Tariff Blitz
Amid the United States' tariff blitz against India, Sri Lankan MP Harsha de Silva has backed New Delhi, urging the ruling party not to mock but to support its neighbour. While US President Donald Trump has hiked tariffs on India to 51%, those on Sri Lanka have been revised to 30%, reducing it from the initially threatened 44%. Some ruling party leaders in Sri Lanka were praising their government for keeping the tariff low compared to India. Reacting to their remarks, Sri Lankan MP Harsha de Silva called out the ruling government for mocking India's bold stand against Trump's trade tariffs. "India, our true ally, stood by us in our toughest times. We should honor their fight, not laugh. India's courage inspires Asia," he said on X. In a video shared on X, the Sri Lankan MP said, "Let's not talk about the US tariffs here. Don't laugh at India. Don't mock them when they are down because when we were down, they were the only ones to lend us a hand. There is one thing that I want to tell you - it ain't over until the fat lady sings. We witnessed you guys laughing. Don't laugh. India expected the US tariffs to come down to 15% and we also expected the same." Sri Lankan MP Harsha de Silva was reminding his fellow MPs about India's $4B+ aid during the island nation's 2022 crisis when others didn't help. The video captures him scolding laughter amid tariff debates. US President Trump imposed 25% additional tariffs on Indian goods (totalling up to 50%) as punishment for India's Russian oil imports, which the US sees as funding Russia's Ukraine war. This sparked US-India tensions, with India pausing US arms buys. "There is a chance that Sri Lanka may receive (additional) tariffs between 15-20%," said the MP. Called out the Govt in @ParliamentLK for mocking India's bold stand against Trump's trade tariffs. #India, our true ally, stood by us in our toughest times. We should honor their fight, not laugh. India's courage inspires Asia! #StandWithIndia #SriLanka #TrumpTariffs — Harsha de Silva (@HarshadeSilvaMP) August 10, 2025 Notably, while China is the biggest importer of Russian oil, the US has maintained caution while dealing with Beijing. On the other hand, Trump has reportedly been irked after India refused to buzz down and did not open the Indian agri sector to American goods, thus inviting additional tariffs, a pressure tactic by the US to force India into a trade deal. However, the Narendra Modi government has maintained that it won't bow down to bullying by the United States.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Don't Mock India, Back Them Against US: Sri Lankan MP Harsha de Silva Warns Govt
In a fiery address to Sri Lanka's Parliament, MP Harsha de Silva slammed his government for mocking India's stand against US tariff hikes, urging Colombo to support New Delhi instead. De Silva reminded lawmakers that India had stood by Sri Lanka during its darkest hours, and that loyalty must be repaid in times of need. His remarks come amid soaring India-US trade tensions after President Donald Trump slapped 50% tariffs on Indian goods, citing New Delhi's Russian oil purchases. Calling the US move 'bullying' and 'unjustified,' India has vowed to protect its farmers, workers, and strategic interests. De Silva warned that Sri Lanka's dismissive stance risks damaging vital neighbourly ties, while India's courage inspires Asia. As Washington threatens more sanctions, New Delhi is pushing for tech self-reliance, export growth, and regional solidarity to counter economic coercion. Sri Lanka's decision on which side to take could redefine South Asian geopolitics.#harshadesilva #srilanka #pmmodi #srilankaussttariffs #ussrilankatradewar #trumptariffsonsrilanka #srilankaapparelindustry #srilankarubberexports #srilankateaexports #indiaus tradewar #modionustariffs #srilankaparliamentdebate #srilankaeconomiccrisis #freetradezonessrilanka #joblossesinsrilanka #srilankaindiasolidarity #ustradepressure #southasiatradepolitics #trumptariffhikes #ussrilankarelations #indiasrilankarelations #southasiaeconomicunity #breakingnews #trending #trendingnow #toi #bharat #toibharat #indianews Read More
News18
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- News18
Sri Lanka customs detains nearly 1,000 Chinese EVs over excise tax dispute
Colombo, Jul 30 (PTI) Nearly 1,000 electric vehicles (EVs) from Chinese manufacturer BYD are being held at Sri Lanka Customs over suspected undervaluation of motor power to reduce excise duty, officials told the parliamentary oversight committee on Wednesday. The vehicles, imported by John Keells Group, the official BYD agent in Sri Lanka, are under investigation for allegedly declaring motor power as 100 kilowatts (kW), whereas the actual power output is reportedly 150 kW. The misdeclaration could result in a significant tax difference — 1.4 million Sri Lankan rupees in duty for 100 kW versus 5.4 million Sri Lankan rupees for 150 kW. Speaking before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), its chairman Harsha de Silva called for independent verification by an internationally accredited agency. 'This is an issue between two countries", de Silva said and referenced a 2022 dispute in which China rejected Sri Lanka's quality testing of what it alleged was a contaminated fertiliser shipment and secured a favourable report from Singapore, forcing Colombo to pay compensation. Customs officials, who had detained the consignment on July 28, attributed delays in the investigation to a lack of support from the John Keells group. In a statement, John Keells Group denied any deliberate misleading of Sri Lanka Customs to lower the excise tax. 'The motor power of these vehicles has been verified through test reports issued by BYD in China and further certified by an independent testing body", the company clarified. The issue comes amid a surge in EV imports after Sri Lanka lifted a five-year ban in February 2025 due to the Covid pandemic, and Sri Lanka's economic crisis on vehicle imports. BYD quickly emerged as a dominant player, capturing nearly 90 per cent of the EV market and over 10 per cent of overall car sales by May, according to industry estimates. PTI CORR SKS NPK NPK view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 19:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
