Colombo, Feb 24 (IANS) Calling India “a trusted partner”, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has once again appreciated the role played by New Delhi over the last many years, including standing by the island nation in time of need and assisting it through the recent economic crisis.
“As you are aware, India extended various forms of assistance amounting to nearly four billion USD in 2022 and was the first nation to extend financial assurances to the IMF, playing a key role in supporting Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring programme. During a period of immense challenges for the country, without this support, Sri Lanka’s recovery would not have been as swift,” Herath posted on X on Monday.
The Lankan minister had made the comments during his address at the cultural evening hosted by the Sri Lanka-India Society to commemorate India’s Republic Day 2025 and Lankan Independence Day 2025, on Sunday.
In his speech, Herath highlighted the deep-rooted ties between Sri Lanka and India and the shared vision for progress.
“India and Sri Lanka share languages and stories, rich, intertwined histories, ties of civilizations, and wisdom of religions, all of which have ensured the connectivity of our two countries and peoples from time immemorial. Rooted in this foundation, our ties today, are stronger and special more than ever,” he said.
The Lankan Foreign Minister stated that the State Visit of President Anura Dissanayake to India in December last year – his first overseas visit as the President of Sri Lanka – marked a “watershed moment” in bilateral relations.
He said that the warmth and cordiality with which the Lankan President was received in Delhi, and the assurances that the President received from India’s leadership of their “unwavering commitment and support” to Sri Lanka’s progress, was heartwarming.
“We observe that, in the field of governance, India’s success in digitalization has been remarkable, enhancing social welfare and transparency while providing millions of people with access to essential services. As one of the outcomes of the State Visit of the President, at Sri Lanka’s request, India has agreed to share the successful digital solutions implemented at population scale for digital transformation in Sri Lanka. I am certain, this will strengthen Sri Lanka’s digital economy initiatives and will benefit our people immensely,” he mentioned.
The robust diplomatic relations between the two neighbours, he said, have been close and economic, cultural ties and people-to-people connections have continued to flourish with exchange of visits and interactions at the highest levels of government further strengthening the bilateral relationship.
“Our two countries are friends and partners in the Indian Ocean region. We share a history and a present where our countries are connected through the great Indian Ocean and through our close geographical proximity to each other. We share a commitment to peace, security, growth, stability and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean region, and we are closer than ever, in addressing these shared goals.
“We are poised to address many challenges, both new and longstanding, that extend beyond national boundaries. In our efforts to tackle the defining challenges of this century—climate change, social welfare, equality, and inclusive growth, and security threats—our collaboration as partners holds the potential to reach greater heights,” remarked Herath.
–IANS
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