Sri Lanka’s upcoming presidential election has become a referendum on a $3 billion International Monetary Fund loan program that has helped to pull the island nation out of its worst economic crisis since independence.

Two years ago, tens of thousands of Sri Lankans rose up against their president and forced him to flee the country.

There are a total of 38 candidates in the running for the President's post, but President Wickremesinghe faces an uphill battle from Sajith Premadasa, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Namal Rajapaksa and Nuwan Bopage.

As Sri Lanka heads to its first elections since the massive protests of 2022 and the crippling economic crisis that has brought it to its knees, here is how the field is placed — and why India is watching the race closely.

The Indian government is better prepared this time and has reached out to all contenders and not putting all eggs in one basket.'

Colombo: Sri Lanka is gearing up for a crucial presidential election on Saturday, September 21. This election is seen as pivotal for the nat..|News Track

Sri Lankans go to the polls this weekend for the country’s first election since defaulting on piles of sovereign debt in 2022, when the nation plunged into its worst economic crisis across 70 years of independence.

Sri Lankans will vote on Saturday for their next president, who will be key to deciding the future of reforms in a nation slowly emerging from worst financial crisis in decades. A critical shortfall in foreign exchange in 2022 pushed Sri Lanka's economy into the worst financial freefall in decades.