India, as part of its biggest strategic investments abroad, is to build its first big power project in Sri Lanka's Sampur. India's  External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid was scheduled to sign the deal on October 7.  The power project is a joint venture between India's NTPC and Sri Lanka's Ceylon Electricity Board.    Media reports say that India is planning to significantly better China's massive Norachcholai power project in Sri Lanka. India will sign the power purchase agreement, coal supply agreement etc and the project is expected to go on stream in 2016.    For cheap loans and cheap power projects, Sri Lanka has traditionally gone to China. The first phase of the Norachcholai power project was supposed to add 900 mw power to Sri Lanka's power grid. China's Exim Bank gave $455 million in buyer's credit and preferential buyer's credit for the first phase and $891 million for the second.