Goodwill pays off in Colombo

PM Modi’s visit has helped counterbalance China’s expanding footprint in the region

Measures to deepen defence and energy ties were front and centre during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka, and the agreements finalised in these spheres by the two sides reflect their intention to add strategic heft to their partnership. It was also significant that these agreements were concluded by a Sri Lankan leader whose party has been known for its historic anti-India stance, and at a time when India’s relations with several of its immediate neighbours are under considerable stress.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake repeated his assurance that he would not allow Sri Lankan soil to be used against Indian interests and made it clear that this would also apply to the waters around the island nation (AFP)

A growing recognition of the interlinked nature of the national security of India and Sri Lanka paved the way for the agreement on defence cooperation, which creates a structured framework for increasing military exchanges and joint exercises. At his meeting with Modi on Saturday, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake repeated his assurance that he would not allow Sri Lankan soil to be used against Indian interests and made it clear that this would also apply to the waters around the island nation. This is especially significant in view of India’s concerns about increasing forays into the Indian Ocean by China’s so-called research vessels, which are nothing more than sophisticated surveillance platforms capable on snooping on Indian defences and satellite launches, after Beijing gained a foothold through the long-term lease of Hambantota port.

India’s prompt financial assistance during Sri Lanka’s financial crisis of 2022 appears to have influenced a perceptible shift in the public mood in Colombo, which was also reflected in Sri Lanka going ahead with the agreement on defence cooperation despite protests by some nationalist parties. India’s agreement on debt restructuring and the reduction of interest rates will help build on this goodwill while simultaneously strengthening Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, but it will be unrealistic to assume that Colombo will always be able to stand up to sustained pressure from Beijing.

Greater economic integration, especially through efforts such as the tripartite agreement involving the United Arab Emirates for developing an energy hub in Trincomalee and the move to connect the electricity grids of India and Sri Lanka, are a better way to wean neighbours away from China’s sphere of influence and to enable them to benefit from India’s economic growth and digitalisation efforts. Modi’s visit has helped counterbalance China’s expanding footprint in the region, and New Delhi and Colombo must now move quickly to build on the momentum created by the new agreements and chart a more collaborative approach to their relations.