Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar says India has done the best of its abilities to assist Sri Lanka.
This year alone India has extended USD 3.8 billion of support to Sri Lanka, including the line of credits and swap arrangements, he said.
Sri Lanka, a nation of 22 million, is currently in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis that has led to severe shortages of fuel and other essentials.
The Sri Lankan government is currently engaged in negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout package.
Commenting on the matter, Jaishankar said, “Any help we can give to Sri Lanka at the IMF that we will naturally do.”
On the impact of Sri Lanka on India and China’s ties, he said, “I think if India and China have to come together, there are many reasons to do so, not necessarily only Sri Lanka.”
The Indian Foreign Minister further said that it is in India and China’s own interest to join hands.
“We very much hope that wisdom dawns on the Chinese side,” he said while replying to another question from the audience.
The Indian Foreign Minister made the observations while responding to a series of questions after delivering a lecture on ‘India’s Vision of the Indo-Pacific’ at the prestigious Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. (NewsWire)