India has been 'very supportive of Sri Lanka': Foreign minister after stir peaks

Sri Lanka crisis: Sri Lanka president Gotabaya Rajapaksa's palace was breached while PM Ranil Wickremesinghe's house was set ablaze.

Published on: Jul 10, 2022, 13:00:19 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Swati Bhasin, New Delhi

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India has always been "very supportive of Sri Lanka", foreign minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday, a day after the island nation saw protests against economic crisis reaching a peak. "We have been very supportive of Sri Lanka. We are trying to help and we are always very helpful where they are concerned. They are right now working through their problems, so we have to wait and see what they do," S Jaishankar told reporters in Kerala.

Protestors participate in an anti-government demonstration outside the President's office in Colombo on July 9, 2022.  (Photo by AFP) (AFP)

On being asked if there was a refugee crisis due to the challenges being faced by the neighbour country, he said: "There is no refugee crisis."

India has been one of the top nations in the world that have been supporting the country, and has already offered aid worth $3 billion.

Sri Lanka saw massive demonstrations on Saturday as agitators stormed the palace of President Gotabaya Rajapaka. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's house was also set on fire. Three people have been arrested for setting his home ablaze.

Hours after Wickremesinghe announced he would step down once new government takes over, a statement was made public on Rajapaka's resignation, which will be formalised on July 13. The country's opposition is reportedly gearing up to build consensus on forming a new government.

The country of 22 million, which has over $50 billion in debt, needs to repay $28 billion by 2027, according to a report by news agency AP.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund has said it was closely monitoring the situation in the country. "We hope for a resolution of the current situation that will allow for resumption of our dialogue on an IMF-supported program," the global lender said in a statement. The IMF has been in talks with the government for a $3 billion bailout.

(With inputs from PTI, AP, Reuters)

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