By PTI
NEW DELHI: India on Sunday said it stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realise their “aspirations” for progress through democratic means and constitutional framework, a day after the country’s embattled president agreed to step down after thousands of protesters stormed his residence.
In its first reaction following the unprecedented developments in Colombo, India also said that it continues to closely follow the developments in Sri Lanka and that it is aware of the many challenges that the country and its people have been facing.
“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,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, in a carefully crafted statement.
Some protesters also set Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private house on fire, in reflection of raging anger over the nation’s debilitating economic crisis.
Wickremesinghe also announced that he would resign.
“India is Sri Lanka’s closest neighbour and our two countries share deep civilizational bonds. We are aware of the many challenges that Sri Lanka and its people have been facing, and we have stood with the Sri Lankan people as they have tried to overcome this difficult period,” Bagchi said.
The comments are seen as India’s expectation for a smooth transition of power within the constitutional framework of the country.
Sri Lanka’s main Opposition parties on Sunday agreed to form an all-party interim government after the anticipated resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday.
In responding to media queries on the situation in Sri Lanka, Bagchi also referred to India’s financial assistance to the island nation this year.
“In pursuance of the central place that Sri Lanka occupies in our Neighbourhood First policy, India has extended this year itself unprecedented support of over USD 3.
8 billion for ameliorating the serious economic situation in Sri Lanka,” he said.
Separately, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Thiruvananthapuram that there were no security concerns for India over the political unrest in Sri Lanka as the people in the island nation and the world over have appreciated what New Delhi has done for the neighbouring country “The answers to Sri Lanka’s problems are in Sri Lanka itself,” he told reporters.
Jaishankar also said that there was no refugee crisis following the developments in Sri Lanka as of now.
“I do not think we can call it a crisis. Occasionally, some people have come from there, but right now I do not think there is any justification for calling it a refugee crisis,” he said.
Asked about India’s reaction to the developments in Sri Lanka, Ambassador Ashok K Kantha, who served as the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo from 2009 to 2013, described it as “balanced and carefully-crafted”.
He said, essentially India was supportive of the “democratic processes playing out in Sri Lanka” and hopefully it will result in greater stability over a period of time.
“They are faced with an unprecedented economic crisis and they need a political dispensation that can take difficult decisions. So let’s hope that there will be a government of national unity or all-party government which will be sworn in soon,” he told PTI.
“Our hope and expectations are that there will be smooth transition within the constitutional framework,” he said.
The island nation is reeling under severe shortages of food, fuel and medicines in the last few months as the economic crisis deteriorated.
As the economic crisis worsened, Sri Lanka witnessed massive street protests in the last months and the public anger led almost all the cabinet ministers to quit the government.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister in May to deal with the situation.
Mahinda Rajapaksa, elder brother of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, stepped down as prime minister on May 9 after massive anti-government protests rocked the country.
There were growing calls for resignation by Gotabaya Rajapaksa which he had been ignoring.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said India has committed USD 3.8 billion for the support of Sri Lanka during the latter’s economic crisis which had been building up over a period of time.
The Union minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a neighbourhood first policy where the government makes special efforts to try and support the country’s neighbours in a manner that meets their requirements.
“In the case of Sri Lanka, we have given them a line of credit which has kept essential commodities flowing to them from India over the last several months. We also gave them a line of credit for purchase of fuel. At the moment, our focus is on helping them recover.”
“This year alone, we have committed around 3.8 billion (US) dollars to them in terms of supporting them. We have been their biggest supporter. It is one of the reasons why they have been able to prevent the situation from becoming worse,” the minister said in response to queries by reporters at a press conference here.
He also said there were no security concerns for India over the political unrest in Sri Lanka as the people there, and the world over, have appreciated what we have done for them.
“The answers to Sri Lanka’s problems are in Sri Lanka itself,” he added.
The Union minister also said there was no refugee crisis as of now.
“I do not think we can call it a crisis. Occasionally, some people have come from there, but right now I do not think there is any justification for calling it a refugee crisis,” he said.
Jaishankar also fielded queries on purchase of oil from Russia and how it was viewed by the West, the fate of Indian students who had returned from China during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the gold smuggling through diplomatic bags case and the alleged involvement of the UAE consulate here in that.
On the smuggling case, he said the Ministry of External Affairs and the whole country was aware that “something that should not have happened has happened here”.
“But I do not want to comment on it as the issue is sub judice. What is important is that everybody, be it anyone in the government or in authority, should behave as per the law,” he said.
On the oil purchase from Russia, he said, “I go out to buy the cheapest oil. It may or may not be from Russia. My concern is to address the problem being faced by the people here due to the rising fuel prices.”
He said since the central government has cut taxes on petrol and diesel, similar efforts should be made by the states so that the people can enjoy the benefit of the same.
On the Indian students who returned from China midway through their courses, Jaishankar said he had pursued the issue strongly with the Chinese government and they have informed that steps have been taken to allow the students to go back.
“The process has started,” he said.
The Union minister was also asked about the challenges faced by the government in the form of criticism from foreign nations with regard to its policies as well as various incidents in the country, to which he replied that there would be political attacks and propaganda.
“In a globalised world, a political attack here will go abroad. So, we have to be careful how we project things. But under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we will not hesitate from voicing our views and defending our views. We are very very clear on that,” the country’s top diplomat said.
Earlier in the day, when he landed at Thiruvananthapuram airport, he had told reporters that the Indian government has always been supportive of Sri Lanka and it was “trying to help” the neighbouring country through its present economic crisis and made it clear that there was “no refugee crisis right now”.
“They are right now working through their problems, so we have to wait and see what they do, ” he had said.
Jaishankar was also asked by reporters the reason for his visit to Kerala to which he replied that there were several.
He said he wanted to spend time with his party colleagues here and understand how they are doing and what is happening here.
Asked how he sees BJP’s prospects in the southern state, the Union minister responded that prospects of the party were “very good” all over the country.
“There is no exception to it anywhere. But we will always try and keep working to improve the prospects,” he added.
In the press conference in the evening, Jaishankar said he was here to make an “assessment” of “what is working and what is not working and how people are reacting to the changes over the last eight years”.
He said that being a people-centric government, the BJP dispensation at the Centre was sending out its ministers to find out what was happening at the ground level.
India has provided 44,000 tonnes of urea to Sri Lanka for meeting the domestic requirements in the current and next sowing seasons, Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Sunday.
The minister tweeted that 44,000 tonnes of urea fertilizer provided by India under the Line of Credit reached Colombo and handed over to the Sri Lanka government.
“It will help to meet farming requirements in current & next cropping seasons,” Mandaviya said.
India has time and again proved to be a true friend of Sri Lankan people in their need, the minister said.
As the economic crisis worsened, Sri Lanka witnessed massive street protests in the past months and the public anger led almost all the cabinet ministers to quit the government.
Thousands of angry protesters on Saturday stormed embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s official residence and set Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private house on fire, in the culmination of months of agitation over the ongoing economic crisis.
Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said the Indian government has always been supportive of Sri Lanka and it was “trying to help” the neighbouring country through its present economic crisis and made it clear that there was “no refugee crisis right now”.
The External Affairs Ministry said India stands with the Sri Lankan people in their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means, established institutions and a constitutional framework.
