Sri Lanka not averse to using Indian rupee as common currency: President Wickremesinghe

Ahead of his first official visit to New Delhi, Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe said he would want to see the Indian rupee used as much as the U.S. dollar

Sri Lanka would want to see the Indian rupee used as much as the U.S. dollar, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, days ahead of his first official visit to New Delhi.

Mr. Wickremesinghe, also the cash-strapped country's Finance Minister, made this remark while addressing the Indian CEO Forum here this week.

“Just as East Asia, including countries like Japan, Korea and China, witnessed significant growth 75 years ago, it is now India’s turn, along with the Indian Ocean region," Mr. Wickremesinghe said.

Mr. Wickremesinghe is expected to visit New Delhi next week, his first since becoming President a year ago amidst unprecedented economic and political turmoil in the island nation.

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Mr. Wickremesinghe's comments were in response to the chair of the Forum, T.S. Prakash, who in his address had called for the enhanced use of the Indian rupee in the Sri Lankan economy.

“It makes no difference to us if India (the Indian rupee) becomes a common currency. We will have to figure out how to go about it. We must become more open to the outside world”, Mr. Wickremesinghe said.