MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN
COLOMBO: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who arrived in Colombo in the early hours of Monday met Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo on Monday, March 28.
The Lankan president thanked the foreign minister for India’s $ 1 billion credit line to purchase food, essentials such as pharmaceuticals at a pressing time of the country. Rajapaksa told the visiting minister that India and Sri Lanka will be celebrating the 75 years of diplomatic relations and Sri Lanka will be publishing a special stamp to mark the occasion.
Jaisankar also met Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and held talks with him on the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
The visiting minister is here as part of India’s neighborhood policy to help friendly countries to help them in their difficult times Jaishankar is here to hold bilateral talks with the country’s top leadership and attend the seven-nation BIMSTEC summit to be held in Colombo on March 30, Wednesday.
The visiting minister found time to visit one of the IOC,Indian Oil Company, petrol shed in downtown Colombo. MD Manoj Gupta briefed him on fuel supply situation. Indian LoC of US$ 500 million is helping Sri Lankan people in their everyday life.
During the past four months IOC has increased the fuel prices four times from Rs 177 per liter to Rs 332 (Octane 95)
Jaishankar arrived here after concluding his visit to the Maldives during which he held discussions with the country’s top leadership on wide ranging issues related to bilateral cooperation.
During his meeting with Lanka’s foreign minister, Jaisankar expressed his positive response to help Sri Lanka during this crisis and pledged that his country would extend further relief if and when necessary.
“ We will continue to be guided by Neighbourhood First,” he said on Twitter.
This is his first visit to the island nation since India extended an economic relief package with an economic bailout included USD 400 million currency swaps, USD 500 million for fuel purchase, USD 1 billion for food and essentials and deferment of Asian Currency Unit payments of over USD 500 million.
People here are concerned over recent agreements between India and Sri Lankan on some of the post economic relief package engagements proposed with India.
The agreement to provide a grant of USD 6 million for the establishment of a Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center in Sri Lanka and agreement for the implementation of the Sri Lanka Unified Digital Identity Framework are two prime examples of allegations of packs with India shrouded in secrecy.
Although Jaishankar’s Colombo visit is primarily for the BIMSTEC engagements, officials here said he would be meeting the country’s President Gotabaya Rajapkasa, prime minister Mahinda Rakapaksa and his counterpart G. L Peiris..
In addition to India and Sri Lanka, the BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan.
The summit is being hosted by Sri Lanka in its capacity as the chair of the grouping BIMSTEC.
