Pakistan’s Prime Minister recently marked his visit to Sri Lanka, making it the first time a Pakistani PM has visited the South Asian island nation since 2016, and the first visit by any Head of Government since the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
Sri Lanka-Pakistan Relationship: A Look Back
The relationship between Sri Lanka and Pakistan spans various areas, most notably trade, culture and defence. They have maintained a free trade agreement since 2005. Pakistan is recognized as Sri Lanka’s second-largest trading partner within South Asia, following India.
In recent years, efforts have been made by Pakistan to establish a strong cultural bond with Sri Lanka. Pakistan has capitalized on its ancient Buddhist connections and sites to forge this connection.
Defence ties are the backbone of relations between these two nations. During the Indo-Pak war in 1971, Sri Lanka permitted refuelling of Pakistani jets. In 2009, during the Civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Sri Lanka sought arms, ammunition and fighter pilot training from Pakistan. Sri Lanka also secured a role in Pakistan’s multi-nation naval exercise, Aman-21.
Details of the Visit
Pakistan presented Sri Lanka with a USD 50 million credit line to enhance their cooperation in the defence and security sectors. To promote cultural ties, plans for a centre studying Asian cultures and civilizations at Peradeniya University in Kandy were announced. Sri Lanka reciprocated by naming a sports institute in Colombo after Pakistan’s PM, underlining the cricketing bond shared by the two countries.
The Significance of the Visit
For Pakistan, this visit was an opportunity to enhance trade ties. Pakistan urged Sri Lanka to utilize the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, an offer previously made by Colombo for an overland economic corridor.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, sought support from Pakistan in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Sri Lanka is currently under UNHRC’s scrutiny for its human rights accountability during the civil war from 1983 to 2009.
Managing Ties with India and Pakistan
The visit also facilitated Sri Lanka’s effort to balance relations between India and Pakistan. It cancelled the Pakistani PM’s address to its Parliament, primarily over concerns regarding the Kashmir issue.
Repairing Anti-Muslim Image
This visit may contribute towards repairing Sri Lanka’s damaged image among Islamic countries, particularly after its recent denial of Muslim Covid-19 victims’ burials. This issue strained the already tense relationship between the Sinhala Buddhist majority and the Muslim minority in Sri Lanka.
Concerns for India
This visit signals a potential threat to India’s attempts to isolate Pakistan diplomatically and economically. Moreover, increasing closeness between Sri Lanka, China, and Pakistan is a matter of concern for India, especially in terms of their interests in the Indian Ocean region.
Concerns are also raised about possible radicalization efforts by Pakistan within Eastern Sri Lanka’s Muslim community.
Charting the Way Forward
Sri Lanka has consistently maintained a balanced relationship with both India and Pakistan. India should not see this as a threat, but rather an opportunity to realign its interests. Initiatives such as reviving a trilateral maritime dialogue with Sri Lanka and Maldives in 2020 are positive steps in this direction.
India could also potentially consider establishing an overland economic corridor through India in collaboration with Sri Lanka, aimed at providing Sri Lanka a land route to Central Asia and beyond. This idea was first proposed by former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe.