New Delhi (CNN) Observers in Beijing and Delhi are watching events in Sri Lanka closely to see what the country's constitutional crisis means for a bigger contest: the race for influence in the Indian Ocean region. Political turmoil in the island nation was triggered late on October 26 when Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena appointed his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister, after summarily firing the incumbent, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who insists he's still in charge. The two are now set to face off in parliament in a confidence vote. "The move caught me and most observers here in Washington and even (the Sri Lankan capital) Colombo by surprise," said Jeff Smith, a fellow at the DC based Heritage Foundation think tank. Rajapaksa's reign had also seen an influx of Chinese investment in Sri Lanka: between 2005 and 2014, Beijing investments and contracts totaled more than $15 billion, according to the American Enterprise Institute, raising eyebrows in Washington and its ally New Delhi.

Source: CNN November 05, 2018 06:11 UTC