The recent spotlight in the news is on an India-funded free ambulance service, Suwa Seriya, playing a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s fight against COVID-19. Launched in 2016 with a 7.56 million USD grant from India, this initiative was originally started on a pilot basis and later spread across the country with additional funding from India. This project represents India’s second-largest grant initiative to Sri Lanka, falling shortly behind a housing project of over 60,000 houses that received almost a 400 million USD grant.
Capacity Building Efforts and Employment by India
Additionally, India has facilitated capacity-building efforts in Sri Lanka that include training programmes for emergency medical technicians. These initiatives not only enhance healthcare services but also create local job opportunities.
The Geopolitical Significance of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean region makes it geopolitically significant. The country forms a crucial link in China’s string of pearls strategy aimed at establishing dominance in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka is home to numerous strategic ports among the busiest sea lanes of communication.
The Political Relationship between India and Sri Lanka
India and Sri Lanka uphold strong political ties, marked by recurrent high-level exchanges and mutual cooperation. They recently signed a USD 400 million currency swap agreement to boost Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves, ensuring financial stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both countries actively participate in regional groupings such as BIMSTEC and SAARC and partake in joint Military (Mitra Shakti) and Naval (SLINEX) exercises.
India-Sri Lanka Commercial Relations
Trade between India and Sri Lanka has flourished, especially following the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement enforced in March 2000. India now stands as Sri Lanka’s largest global trade partner, and likewise, Sri Lanka is one of India’s most significant trading partners among the SAARC countries.
Cultural and Educational Bonds between India and Sri Lanka
Strong cultural and educational relations exist between the two countries. The Indian Cultural Centre in Colombo actively promotes Indian culture through music, dance, Hindi and Yoga classes. Both nations also exchange cultural troupes annually and facilitate youth interactions through intergovernmental initiatives like the India-Sri Lanka Foundation.
Issues and Conflicts between the Two Nations
Despite the strong ties, issues persist like China’s influence in Sri Lanka, particularly reflected in the 99-year lease of the strategic Hambantota port to China. Moreover, incidents involving fishermen straying into each other’s territorial waters, especially in the Palk Straits and the Gulf of Mannar, create tensions. However, mechanisms like the Joint Working Group (JWG) on fisheries operate to find permanent solutions to such issues.
