New Delhi – India, anxious to counter China’s influence in the region, onFriday offered hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Sri Lanka as theisland’s new president made his maiden overseas trip in New Delhi.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s visit to India just 12 days after he became presidentis being intensely watched as New Delhi and Beijing compete to control theIndian Ocean and its strategic sea routes.
Sri Lanka has been traditionally been allied to India but China investedand loaned billions of dollars to the island nation during the decade-longreign of Rajapaksa’s elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa.
After talks with the new leader, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi saidhis country would give $400 million in credit to Sri Lanka to improve itseconomy and infrastructure.
He offered another $50 million to boost Sri Lanka’s security andintelligence gathering — notably after the April 21 attacks by Muslimradicals that killed 258 people.
“A strong and prosperous Sri Lanka is not just in India’s interest but theentire Indian Ocean region,” Modi said as he welcomed Rajapaksa for thethree-day visit.
“The security and development of our two countries are interlinked.Therefore it is only natural that we remain mindful of each other’ssecurity and sensitivities,” he added.
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Rajapaksa swept the November 16 election on promises of bolstering theeconomy and security — but is a controversial figure for his role inBuddhist-majority Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war against Tamilseparatists.
The separatists’ defeat in 2009 was followed by allegations of widespreadhuman rights abuses towards Tamil minorities by government forces.
International condemnation brought the Colombo government closer toBeijing, which launched huge infrastructure projects on the Island nation,including the Hambantota port.
In his inauguration speech however, the new president said he wanted a”neutral” foreign policy and friendly relations with all countries.
“India’s cooperation is multi-faceted. We will continue to work closelywith India to ensure that the Indian Ocean remains a zone of peace,” hesaid as he invited Modi to visit Sri Lanka. -APP/AFP
