In what would drive China restore India-US relations jittery, Sri Lanka has decided to go ahead with its “IndiaFirst” security and strategic policy, “come what may”. Colombo has assured New Delhi of giving it more elbow room in the island nation in what will not go down well with the Dragon. The assurance came during a virtual bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Sri Lankan counterpart, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on Saturday.
When the two leaders spoke in the virtual bilateral interaction, India’s border standoff with China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh figured prominently. Sources told The Daily Guardian that the Sri Lankan leader indicated that China’s “behaviour does not cut any ice with Colombo”.
“Rajapaksa categorically assured PM Modi that Sri Lanka’s soil will not be allowed to be used against India in any manner,” sources said.
The Daily Guardian had earlier reported that Sri Lanka and India will go for closer ties to tie China in knots. That’s exactly the crux of the bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Rajapaksa. According to sources, PM Modi has impressed upon his Sri Lankan counterpart that China is not trustworthy as is evident from its expansionist activities all across Asia. “Several examples of China trying to tighten its grip over Sri Lanka are also there, exposing the country’s ulterior motives behind extending help to any other nation,” says an official.
This was the first-ever virtual bilateral summit between both the leaders since Rajapaksa won the elections in August. When asked whether LAC and China figured during the summit, Amit Narang, Joint Secretary (Indian Ocean Region), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said: “Both the leaders exchanged views on all the issues.”
“The two Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction with the robustness of the security and defence cooperation between the two sides. They agreed to continue and further strengthen the mutual cooperation on personnel ex change and training, maritime security cooperation and India’s support to Sri Lanka in the spheres of defence and security,” the Joint Secretary added.
What is also significant that both sides discussed greater maritime cooperation and security in the Indian Ocean region. This is also important in view of China’s attempt to grow influence in oceans surrounding India. Indian diplomats draw a sense of satisfaction from the talks between PM Modi and Rajapaksa. When Rajapaksa was the President of Sri Lanka from 2005 until 2015, he was known for his tilt towards China. This used to be a cause of concern for India that time.
But now since Sri Lanka has signalled pursuing the policy of “India-first”, South Block can heave a sigh of relief. “There are clear signals from Colombo that it won’t be allowing China to freely spread itself out in Sri Lanka like previously,” said an MEA official.
Sri Lanka’s foreign secretary Jayanath Colombage, who is also a former commander of Sri Lankan navy, had some weeks ago said that Colombo cannot afford to be a strategic threat to India. “That Colombo would not do anything which could impact India’s security interests had been conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government by both President Gotabaya and his brother Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.” This was the statement of the Sri Lankan foreign minister in an interview. He has also spoken about Sri Lanka’s “India-first” strategic and security policy.