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Speaking at the inauguration of a new exhibition dedicated to Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, India’s external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, reiterated India’s ongoing support for Sri Lanka during its economic crisis.
“Blood is thicker than water. It was natural for India to see what it could do to stand by Sri Lanka at this very difficult time”, told the audience in New Delhi on Friday.
He further added:
“I have always believed that you will come through this challenge, but it is important to have real friends standing by you”.
The statement comes as Sri Lanka is close to securing a $2.9 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after China gave its assurances that it will support the island's debt restructuring. China’s assurances follow a lengthy delay during which they would not confirm their support for debt restructuring. India, in contrast, endorsed the IMF support for the island early on.
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue conference in March, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister maintained that India has helped Sri Lanka, more than any other country. In January India extended aid worth USD 3.9 billion to support Sri Lanka in securing basic necessities such as food, medicine and fuel. Jaishankar also met with Sri Lanka’s president and foreign minister in January where he reemphasised the need to implement Sri Lanka’s 13th amendment which would enable greater devolution in the North-East whilst maintaining a unitary framework.
However, the leader of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), Gajendrakumar G. Ponnambalam has written to the minister urging for a federal solution, in rejection of Sri Lanka’s 13th amendment. Increasingly Tamil protesters are rejecting the island’s unitary framework and demanding a federal solution.
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