Ever since the swearing in of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the President of Sri Lankan in September, there were apprehensions in India over the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’s, Marxist ideology.
However, the trip by President Anura has seemingly tried to bring down apprehensions in India, while also creating an atmosphere of reassurance.
His inaugural foreign visit, since assuming office in September, sent out a clear message that India is the most important ally for Sri Lanka and the three-day tour marked a significant diplomatic engagement between the nations. The Sri Lankan President expressed pleasure at choosing Delhi for his first state visit.
It must be noted that ever since the change of government in the island nation, its government was being wooed by several other countries, including China. In this backdrop the visit of President Anura assumes greater significance.
Sri Lankan President also assured New Delhi that his country’s territory would not be used in any way that was detrimental to India, after one-to-one and delegation-level discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He assured that Sri Lanka’s territory would not be “used in any way, in a manner that is detrimental to the interest of India. The cooperation with India will certainly flourish and I want to reassure our continued support for India.”
The assurance comes in the backdrop of India raising objections with Colombo in 2022 for allowing a Chinese “research” vessel to dock at Hambantota Port and as China is intensifying its presence in the Indian Ocean region.
The Sri Lankan President also acknowledged the emergency support lent to the island nation by India during the economic turmoil it had faced two years ago. “We faced an unprecedented economic crisis some 2 years ago and India supported us immensely to come out of that quagmire. It has also helped us immensely after that, especially in the debt-free structuring process,” he said.
Notably, though the Lankan President’s Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna may follow the Marxist ideology, however, President Anura hasn’t seemingly let go of his Buddhist roots. The Sri Lankan president made it a point to visit Gaya in Bihar, a religiously significant place for Buddhists across the world, where he offered prayers at the Maha Bodhi Temple. Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhala community follows Buddhism and this visit is expected to also reassure the over 70 percent population of the island nation that he is very much rooted in the culture of the nation.
The visit and assurances made by President Anura also mean that India’s diplomatic effort to pull the island nation out of China’s influence is heading in the right direction.
With a party which has come to power in Sri Lanka for the first time, India needs to further improve its relationship with the new political leadership.
