E-Paper
EAM meets new Sri Lanka Prez on Colombo visit
India offered $20M in credit lines to Sri Lanka, potentially as a grant, during External Affairs Minister Jaishankar's first visit post-election.
New Delhi India on Friday announced that credit lines for Sri Lanka worth $20 million could be converted into a grant as part of ongoing development assistance, as external affairs minister S Jaishankar met the new leadership in Colombo, including President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Jaishankar’s visit marked the first high-level engagement between the two countries since the Marxist-leaning Dissanayake, popularly known as AKD, was elected president in September. Jaishankar is also the first foreign minister to visit Colombo since the presidential election, which was won by the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance.
Jaishankar also extended an invitation on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Dissanayake to visit India.
Besides Dissanayake, the external affairs minister met Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and held talks with foreign minister Vijitha Herath. He also met former president Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa, the head of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, the main opposition alliance.
During his discussions with Herath, Jaishankar said payments for seven completed line of credit projects worth $20 million could be converted into a grant, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. Jaishankar also conveyed India’s “strong commitment to advance bilateral cooperation” based on the “Neighbourhood First” policy and the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.
Jaishankar gave Herath an assurance that India’s ongoing development assistance “through projects of Sri Lankan priority will be continued”. He emphasised India’s offer to modernise Kankesanthurai port through a grant worth $61.5 million, the statement said. India also decided to gift 22 diesel locomotives to the Sri Lankan Railways.
People familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that the discussions had indicated there will be continuity in the implementation of most Indian projects in Sri Lanka. This, they said, is significant in view of reports that suggested the new dispensation in Colombo was planning to review such projects.
During his meeting with Dissanayake, Jaishankar spoke about ongoing initiatives in energy production and transmission, fuel and LNG supply, solar electrification of religious places, connectivity, digital public infrastructure, health and dairy development, the statement said.
Jaishankar said these initiatives will contribute to economic sustainability and provide new streams of revenue. Dissanayake said “India’s economic support is critical to realise his vision of a prosperous Sri Lanka and meeting the aspirations of the people”, the statement said.
Dissanayake referred to the potential of exporting renewable energy to India, which can help reduce production costs in Sri Lanka and create additional resources. He pointed to the contribution of Indian tourists and “recognised that this has the potential to grow further”, according to the statement.
Jaishankar’s conversation with the Sri Lankan leadership also covered facilitating Indian investments and job creation in the country and expanding the flow of Indian tourists.
At his meeting with Prime Minister Amarasuriya, Jaishankar said the Indian government is prepared help with Sri Lanka’s needs in training and capacity building.
During discussions on Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring efforts, Jaishankar recalled that India has been supportive of the country’s economic stability and recovery. India was the first country to give financing assurances, which enabled the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to finalise an extended fund facility or bailout.
Jaishankar also confirmed India’s support in the Official Creditors’ Committee in respect of Sri Lanka’s agreement with international sovereign bond holders, the statement said. “India is also willing to expedite the conclusion of its bilateral MoU with Sri Lanka. The President conveyed his appreciation in that regard,” the statement said.
Jaishankar’s talks also covered security and defence, and the meetings “brought out that the interests of India and Sri Lanka were closely intertwined”, the statement said. “Their collaboration was in mutual interest and contributed to the stability and security of the region. The importance of a continuous dialogue that would promote trust, transparency and mutual sensitivity was recognised,” it added.
Dissanayake reiterated that Sri Lanka would never allow its territory to be used in a “manner inimical to India’s security interests”.
Jaishankar also raised concerns related to Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka and pressed for their early release along with their boats. “A humanitarian approach focused on livelihood issues would create a durable basis for addressing this matter,” the statement said. Jaishankar appreciated the release of 50 Indian fishermen during his visit.
India’s long-standing interest in protecting the rights of Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority and the reconciliation process also figured in the various meetings. Jaishankar reiterated India’s “support for the aspirations of all communities, including Tamils, for equality, justice, dignity [and] peace while maintaining the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka”, the statement said.
The full and effective implementation of the 13th Amendment of its Constitution and the early holding of provincial council elections will facilitate these objectives, it added.
