India Must Take The Lead To Engage Other Nations To Help Sri Lanka
The India Commentary view
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By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2022-07-11 06:21:49
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The India Commentary view
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The popular protests and disturbances in Sri Lanka have intensified as an impatient population, irked by the high cost of daily living and seeing that politicians are apparently doing nothing to rectify the situation, first set Prime Minister Ranil Wikremesinghe's house on fire and then took over the Presidential palace. It is being reported that the protestors found a huge stash of currency notes inside the President's house. However, these deplorable actions are not going to solve the problems Sri Lanka is facing.
India has been watching the situation and is treading cautiously. It has said that Indo-Sri Lankan ties are strong and India is always ready to help the Sri Lankan people tide over their current difficulties. But with the dollar at 350 Sri Lankan rupee and inflation crossing 50%, very little fuel available in the nation and items of daily necessities vanishing from store shelves, the Lankan people are facing a nightmare they did not imagine even five years ago. The mismanagement of the nationâs economy has put the people under immense hardships and the solution can only be found by a unity government that can get its foreign debt restructured (of which China holds a massive 15%) and negotiate a bail-out package from the IMF.
India has, on its part, been supportive with a line of credit and other aid to help the people of the country. With medicines running out, India must now help the nation by supplying necessary medicines through aid or through deferred payment mechanism. It does not matter who rules Sri Lanka - as a responsible neighbour that has close ties with the nation, India must do all it can to help and support the people of that country. Given the strategic location of Sri Lanka, India can also take the lead to engage other nations, especially Quad nations, to help and support the Sri Lankans. It will be better for the long term security of the entire region.
