Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Jayanth Colombage, during an interview with the Daily Mirror on Wednesday, remarked that Sri Lanka will now adopt an “India first approach”. He said, “This means Sri Lanka will not do anything harmful to India’s strategic security interests.” The foreign secretary suggested that Sri Lanka would also shift away from its “West-centric” policy and move towards a foreign policy that is focussed on its neighbours, including the Middle East, Bangladesh, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
He also spoke of this approach during an interview on Monday, in which he said, “President (Gotabaya Rajapaksa) has stated that in terms of strategic security, we will follow an ‘India first’ policy. We cannot afford to be a strategic security threat to India and we don’t have to be. We need to benefit from India. The President has clearly said that you are our first priority as far as security is concerned but I have to deal with other players for economic prosperity.” Colombage, who was appointed on August 14 by the newly re-elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was the chief of the Sri Lankan Navy from 2012 to 2014.
This comes amidst growing concerns in India over the increasing influence of China in Sri Lanka. China has been, over the past few years, increasing its influence in Sri Lanka as a part of its Belt and Road Initiative. Speaking on its approach to balancing its relations between China and India, during the interview, Colombage said, “China is the second-largest economy and India is considered the sixth-largest. In 2018 India was the world’s fastest-growing economy. That means we are between two economic giants.” He clarified that the President had reiterated that, despite prioritising ties with India, Sri Lanka will not rely on a single country for economic development. Colombage said, “We are open to anyone. We know China is one country willing to invest and develop. They have the capacity to do it. We have to benefit from it. We have to balance.” Sri Lanka’s need for a friendly relationship with China goes beyond its economic interests, as it also relies on the East Asian giant to block any attempts by countries in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take action against local authorities over alleged human rights violations.
India was particularly concerned after Sri Lanka agreed to a 99-year lease of the Hambantota port in 2017, as it could plausibly be used to extend Chinese military presence in the region and corner India. This collaboration was not only worrying for India’s security concerns but also its trade interests, as the port is strategically located along an international shipping route. Responding to these concerns, Colombage clarified that the contract for the Hambantota port was first offered to India, but India rejected the offer. He reassured India that the port would only be used for commercial activities, and not for military purposes. He further highlighted that Sri Lanka plans to maintain a neutral position between the two, and will not allow “any particular country to use it as a staging area to do anything against another country – especially so India”. Moreover, he also said that, in the future, the Sri Lankan government will not relinquish complete control over such “strategic national assets” and will ensure at least a 51% stake in any such projects with foreign entities.
For India, Sri Lanka is a crucial partner in the Indian Ocean. Trade relations between India and Sri Lanka have been surging since the signing of a Free Trade Agreement in 2000. According to figures reported by Sri Lankan Customs, annual bilateral trade between India and Sri Lanka amounts to around $4.93 billion. While Sri Lankan imports from India were valued at $4.16 billion, Sri Lanka exported goods worth $ 767 million. Further, India also provides “development assistance” to Sri Lanka, for which India has committed approximately $3 billion. Additionally, last month, India also announced a $400 million currency swap facility under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to help Sri Lanka pay off its debts. Sri Lanka, and countering Chinese influences on the island, is not only crucial for India, but also for its allies, Japan, the US and Australia, who are all looking to counter China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific region.
Sri Lanka to Adopt ‘India-First’ Approach, Says Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary
India has previously expressed concern about China’s growing influence in Sri Lanka.
August 27, 2020
Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Jayanth Colombage meets Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay. SOURCE: PRINT