India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that there was no political conditionality which accompanied the assistance extended to Sri Lanka during the economic crisis.
Speaking at a forum organized by the Asia Society in New York, Jaishankar said, “We stepped forward when Sri Lanka was facing a very deep economic crisis, and frankly, when no one else did. I’m very glad we did it, and we did it in a timely and substantial manner. We provided 4.5 billion dollars in effective support.”
The Minister was responding to a question from an audience member regarding India’s non-reciprocal aid to neighbouring countries, particularly Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
When asked for his views on the recent change in Sri Lanka’s government, which the audience member suggested might be ‘potentially adverse’ for India, Jaishankar said that political changes in Sri Lanka were for the country to decide.
“What happens politically in Sri Lanka, that’s for their politics to work out. At the end of the day, each one of our neighbours has their own particular dynamics. It is not our intention to suggest that their dynamics must adhere to what we might consider as being better for us. This is a real world; countries adjust to each other and find ways of working it out,” Jaishankar explained.
Speaking further on regional dynamics, the Minister reiterated that India is not looking to control the political landscape of its neighbours. “It’s not as though India is seeking to control every political move of every neighbour. That’s not how it works. Every country will have its own dynamics,” he added.
The Indian External Affairs Minister also said that despite several shifts in the neighbourhood dynamics, he remains confident in the region’s ability to manage these relationships. “I’m very confident that in our neighbourhood, the realities of interdependence, mutual benefit, and the ability to get along will serve both our interests. Those realities will assert themselves. That’s been the history.” (Newswire)
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