Jaishankar Meets Sri Lankan President Dissanayake To Strengthen Ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday discussed “ways to deepen ongoing cooperation and strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties” with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and assured continued support to the island nation’s economic rebuilding.

During his day-long visit, less than a fortnight after President Dissanayake was sworn in, Jaishankar also met Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, his counterpart Vijitha Herath, Sajith Premadasa, Sri Lanka’s leader of the opposition from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya party and former Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Jaishankar is the first foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka since the National People’s Power government led by Dissanayake came to power on Sept. 23.

Sri Lanka is India’s key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and occupies a special place in its initiatives such as ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the ‘Neighbourhood First Policy.’ “Honoured to call on President @anuradisanayake today in Colombo. Conveyed warm greetings of President Droupadi Murmu and PM @narendramodi,” Jaishankar posted on X.

“Appreciate his warm sentiments and guidance for the India-Sri Lanka relations. Discussed ways to deepen ongoing cooperation and strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the benefit of people of two countries and the region,” he said further in the post.

Soon after meeting Jaishankar, Dissanayake took to X and said, “Discussions focused on boosting cooperation in tourism, energy, and investment. Dr Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s support for Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. The importance of continued collaboration on fisheries, security, and national unity was also discussed.”

Jaishankar also met Prime Minister Amarasuriya after which he posted on X along with the photos of the two leaders: “Pleased to meet PM @Dr_HariniA today. Conveyed good wishes for her new responsibility. Discussed Digital Public Infrastructure, training and capacity building. Agreed to work together to advance our partnership.”

Earlier, Jaishankar met his counterpart minister Herath and said in a post on X: “Reviewed various dimensions of India-Sri Lanka partnership. Assured him of India’s continued support to Sri Lanka’s economic rebuilding. Our Neighbourhood First Policy and Sagar outlook will always guide the advancement of India-Sri Lanka ties.”

Herath’s office posted on X that the two “discussed a range of matters of mutual interest.”

In April 2022, the island nation declared its first ever sovereign default since gaining Independence from Britain in 1948. The unprecedented financial crisis led the then president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to quit office in 2022 amid civil unrest.

India had then pitched in with about $4 billion in assistance to enable the island nation to recover from a deep economic crisis after it announced the default on over $51 billion foreign loans.

In the run up to the election, Dissanayake had pledged to annul those projects if voted to power, claiming that the projects were inimical to Sri Lankan interests.

The External Affairs Minister met the SJB leader Premadasa and said he appreciated the continued support by the son of former president Ranasinghe Premadasa “for the India-Sri Lanka relationship.”

Premadasa termed Jaishankar’s visit important for “supporting our mutual interests for regional development.”

“Great to meet @DrSJaishankar during his visit to Sri Lanka. As he often says, ‘A strong and prosperous neighbourhood is in everyone’s interest.’ We look forward to India’s continued fullest support in advancing Sri Lanka’s stability and growth while supporting our mutual interests for regional development,” he posted on X.

Jaishankar also met former president Ranil Wickremesinghe and thanked him for his efforts in advancing bilateral ties in the last two years.

Wickremesinghe, a leader of the island nation’s United National Party (UNP), had fought the Sept. 21 presidential elections as an independent but lost to Dissanayake.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said, "Thanked him for his efforts in advancing our ties in the last two years. Assured him that India will continue to commit to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and development.”

Jaishankar also extended an invitation on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Dissanayake to visit India at a mutually convenient date.

In a separate event, Jaishankar received the first copy of his May 2022 book ‘The India Way’ translated in Sinhala language by the Pathfinder Foundation, an independent, non-partisan Sri Lankan think-tank.

Sri Lanka freed 50 Indian fishermen on Friday. Fishermen from both countries are arrested frequently for inadvertently trespassing into each other’s waters.

The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters.

The Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.