Sunday , November 24 2024

President Renil Wickremesinghe

Colombo: In his address at the 31st 'All India Partners Meet' held here from June 20 to 22, Sri Lankan President Renil Wickremesinghe openly told me that India's unconditional loan of Rs 3.5 billion helped Sri Lanka overcome the economic crisis. Vikram Singh also said emotional things for India in the meeting concluded on Saturday evening.

Recalling his visit to India during the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi, who became Prime Minister for the third time, he said, 'After the swearing-in ceremony, there was an intense discussion between me and Narendra Modi. In which we also discussed the 'main areas of partnership'. Along with this, both of us also discussed about sustainable energy and also decided to make collective efforts for this.

There was a time when India supplied thousands of tons of oil to Sri Lanka when its oil tanks were empty. Sri Lanka was in severe financial crisis and was in dire need of IMF loan, but the IMF refused. During the still unresolved crisis, the Finance Minister of Sri Lanka came to know that India's Finance Minister Sitaraman had also gone to Bretton-Woods (Washington) to meet IMF officials. Some loans were to be negotiated, so the Finance Minister of Sri Lanka also reached Washington, where, praising India for helping Sri Lanka in front of the IMF President, Sitaram requested for a loan to Sri Lanka, which was accepted.

Sri Lanka has been caught in one whirlpool after another and has been bailed out by India every time, so cricketer-turned-politician Sanath Jayasuriya said, 'India has truly played the role of an elder brother.'

On the one hand, China has attacked its south-eastern island nation Taiwan, on the other hand, India has rushed to the aid of its southern island nation Sri Lanka.