India-China Energy Rivalry Escalates in Sri Lanka with Trincomalee Hub Plan
India is accelerating a trilateral energy hub project at Trincomalee with Sri Lanka and the UAE, including a cross-border oil pipeline, to counter China's expanding energy footprint through Sinopec's fuel distribution and a planned Hambantota refinery. The project aims to reshape Sri Lanka's energy dependence by creating an end-to-end network connecting India's refining system to Sri Lankan storage and retail.