India dismisses reports about sending troops to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, grappling with the country’s worst economic crisis since independence in 1948, was plunged into turmoil as public protests escalated over the weekend

India has dismissed reports that the country is sending troops to Sri Lanka against the backdrop of political turmoil in the island nation, even as New Delhi made it clear that it stands with the Sri Lankan people as they try to find a solution through democratic means.

Protesters and ordinary people outside the Presidential Palace in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will resign on Wednesday after fleeing his official residence shortly before demonstrators stormed it last week. (BLOOMBERG.)

Reacting to “speculative reports” in sections of the media and on social media, the Indian high commission in Colombo categorically denied that India is sending troops to Sri Lanka. “These reports and such views are also not in keeping with the position of the Government of India,” the mission said in a brief statement.

The high commission noted that the external affairs ministry’s spokesperson had clearly said on Sunday that “India stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realise their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means and values, established institutions and constitutional framework”.

Sri Lanka, grappling with the country’s worst economic crisis since independence in 1948, was plunged into turmoil as public protests escalated over the weekend. Thousands of protestors opposed to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stormed the presidential office and residence in Colombo and set fire to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private home.

The external affairs ministry spokesperson’s statement on Sunday that India “stands with the people of Sri Lanka” was seen as a signal that New Delhi was distancing itself from political forces in the current fluid situation. Since the beginning of the year, India has provided aid worth more than $3.8 billion – including lines of credit for emergency purchases of fuel, food and medicines, and a currency swap – as Sri Lanka grappled with shortages and a worsening balance of payments situation.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Sunday said India is aware of the many challenges that Sri Lanka has been facing and has stood with the Sri Lankan people as they tried to overcome this difficult period. While closely following developments in Sri Lanka, India “stands with the people of Sri Lanka”, he added.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar, speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, too indicated solutions will have to be found by the Sri Lankan people.

“We have been supportive of Sri Lanka, are trying to help and have always been helpful. They are working through their problems, we have to wait and see what happens...The answers to Sri Lanka are in Sri Lanka,” he said, adding Sri Lanka has begun discussions to restructure their policies and reduce debts.

The deployment of troops remains a sensitive issue for India in view of the disastrous India Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operation in Sri Lanka during 1987-90, in which some 1,200 Indian soldiers were killed. The IPKF was deployed in Sri Lanka to help contain LTTE rebels.