S Jaishankar says India supports both political, economic stability of Sri Lanka
By India Blooms News Service Jan 20, 2023
Colombo: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said the country supports both the political and economic stability of Sri Lanka.
Jaishankar has met several top leaders of the country including PM Dinesh Gunawardena and President Ranil Wickremasinghe.
The President briefed me on the question of political devolution and his thinking. I shared with him our considered view that the full implementation of the 13th amendment and early conduct of provincial elections are critical in this regard. Durable efforts towards reconciliation are in the interests of all sections in Sri Lanka. I also spoke of the need to pay special attention to the requirements of the Indian origin Tamil community, the Indian minister said.
I handed over Prime Minister Narendra Modis invitation to President Ranil Wickremesinghe to visit India at an early date to discuss how our partnership can facilitate Sri Lankas strong recovery, Jaishankar said.
He said: I would like to underline that India is a reliable neighbour, a trustworthy partner, one who is prepared to go the extra mile when Sri Lanka feels the need. My presence here today is a statement about Prime Minister Modis commitment to Neighbourhood First. We will stand by Sri Lanka in this hour of need and are confident that Sri Lanka will overcome the challenges that it currently faces.
Jaishankar said India will encourage greater investments in the Sri Lankan economy.
We count on the Government of Sri Lanka to provide a more business-friendly environment to create a powerful pull factor. I am confident that the gravity of the situation is realized by policy makers here, he said.
Jaishankar arrived in Sri Lanka after completing his visit to Maldives.