Dissanayake Assures Modi: Sri Lanka's Land Will Not Threaten India

Sri Lanka will not allow its land to be used against interests of India, its President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Monday as the two sides agreed on measures to bolster strategic and security cooperation.

The Indian side used the meeting with Dissanayake, who is on his first foreign visit after becoming President in September, to raise New Delhi’s concerns about the visit of Chinese surveillance vessels to Sri Lanka. Modi also urged Dissanayake to fulfil the aspirations of Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority by fully implementing the constitution and conducting provincial council elections.

Dissanayake’s decision to make India the destination for his first foreign visit is significant because his Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party has for long been known for its anti-India stance. The National People’s Power (NPP) coalition led by the Left-leaning President also swept the general elections in November.

Noting that Dissanayake’s visit is imparting new momentum to bilateral ties, Modi told a joint media interaction after his talks with the Sri Lankan leader: “We have adopted a futuristic vision for our partnership. We have emphasised on investment-led growth and connectivity in our economic partnership.”

Dissanayake said he gave Modi an assurance that “we will not allow our land to be used in any way that is detrimental to the interests of India”.

A joint statement said Dissanayake reiterated Sri Lanka’s “stated position of not permitting its territory to be used in any manner inimical to the security of India as well as towards regional stability”.

Modi also emphasized that Sri Lanka’s land should not be utilized for activities that could compromise security interests of India, a point that Dissanayake acknowledged and assured his commitment to uphold.

The two sides decided that physical, digital and energy connectivity will be important pillars of our partnership, Modi said, speaking in Hindi. “We both fully agree that our security interests are interlinked. We have decided to finalise a defence cooperation agreement soon,” he said.

Modi said Dissanayake had spoken of “his inclusive approach” when the two sides discussed reconstruction and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. “We hope the government of Sri Lanka will meet the aspirations of the Tamils and fulfil its commitment to full implementation of the Constitution of Sri Lanka and holding provincial council elections,” he said.

Dissanayake noted that people in all parts of Sri Lanka had placed their faith in the NPP and said development in his country should be “inclusive”. Speaking in Sinhala, he added, “The people in all parts of the country, who belong to all communities and all creeds and religions, have voted for us. Diversity is a cornerstone of democracy – I know that, I have understood that.”

Dissanayake’s assurances are being seen as crucial as India has been concerned about a growing number of visits to Sri Lanka by Chinese research or surveillance vessels, especially to Chinese-controlled Hambantota port. Though Colombo imposed a moratorium on such visits, it is set to end early next year.

Also See: President Dissanayake to Visit India in First Overseas Trip

On the rights of the Tamil community in the island nation, the Indian side pushed Sri Lanka’s political leadership to address the rights and aspirations, including through the holding of provincial council elections and fully implementing constitutional provisions related to the rights of the community.

The joint statement pointed to the shared security interests of India and Sri Lanka and the importance of “regular dialogue based on mutual trust and transparency and giving primacy to each other’s security concerns” and said the two sides had agreed to work together to counter traditional and non-traditional threats.

The two leaders also agreed to advance maritime and security collaboration, and Dissanayake thanked India for its support by providing a Dornier aircraft for maritime surveillance. Besides agreeing to strengthen intelligence and information-sharing, the two sides will work towards concluding a framework agreement on defence cooperation, the joint statement said.

The two side will also cooperate in hydrography, and India will provide “defence platforms and assets to augment Sri Lanka’s defence capabilities”. They will also intensify collaboration through joint exercises, maritime surveillance and defence exchanges, and India will assist Sri Lanka to strengthen its capabilities for disaster mitigation, relief and rehabilitation.

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri told a media briefing that the Indian side had raised the issue of berthing of Chinese research vessels in Sri Lanka, and said: “We pointed to the importance and the sensitivity of our security interests in this area. President Dissanayake was very upfront in saying that he would ensure that nothing was done by using Sri Lankan territory that might impact India’s security.”

The Sri Lankan government is looking at the issue, and India is confident that it will give “due care” to such important issues, Misri said.

Responding to a question on the interests of Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority, Misri said Dissanayake had himself referred to mandate he had received, including support from the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka that have a significant Tamil population. “He has received support from all corners of the country and, therefore, there is an expectation now from him to respond to those expectations,” he said.

“We welcome the fact that he has referred to issues related to the elections for provincial councils…These are important markers in terms of a solution or an approach to the ethnic issue that will eventually result in addressing these issues through justice, peace, equity [and] dignity,” Misri said.

The two sides also discussed the problems faced by fishermen of both countries and the leaders agreed to continue to address these issues in a humanitarian manner. “In this regard, they also underscored the need to take measures to avoid any aggressive behaviour or violence,” the joint statement said.

This news is sourced from Hindustan Times and is intended for informational purposes only.