The Indian High Commission in Colombo on Wednesday dismissed reports about New Delhi sending its troops to Sri Lanka amid the unprecedented economic crisis in the island nation.
Protests had erupted outside the Trincomalee Naval Base in the northeastern part of Sri Lanka after local media reports emerged that former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had sought refuge there. On Monday, Rajapaksa resigned from his post amid the anti-government protests.
Mahinda Rajapaksa’s eventual resignation and a curfew have failed to douse public anger. On May 10, Sri Lankan authorities issued shoot-on-sight orders for anyone damaging public property or threatening lives.
Rejecting claims that India would send troops to control the situation, the Indian mission also said India is “fully supportive” of the island nation’s democracy, stability, and economic recovery.
“The high commission has recently noticed rumors circulating in sections of media and social media that certain political persons and their families have fled to India,” it said in an earlier tweet on Tuesday. “These are fake and blatantly false reports, devoid of any truth or substance.”
The Indian High Commission categorically denied “speculative media reports” about India sending its military troops to Sri Lanka, noting that it is not in line with the position of the government of India.
“The spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs of India clearly stated yesterday [May 10] that India is fully supportive of Sri Lanka’s democracy, stability, and economic recovery,” the commission added.
The ministry of external affairs in a statement pointed toward India's "Neighbourhood First policy" and said that it has "extended support worth over US$ 3.5 billion to the people of Sri Lanka this year alone for helping them overcome their current difficulties". The statement explained, "people of India have provided assistance for mitigating the shortages of essential items such as food, medicine, etc."
The Indian support to Sri Lanka includes $500 million for fuel and $1 billion for food, medicine, and essential supplies, a credit swap of $400 million, and deferment of an Asian clearing union payment of over $515 million.
As part of lines of credit, India has already sent diesel, petrol, and rice to the country.
On the same day, fuel to the ‘India must send troops’ fire was added by BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy who tweeted on May 10 that the Indian Army must be sent to “restore Constitutional sanity”.
Swamy had made similar calls for Indian intervention during the Maldives crisis of 2018, invoking criticism from both the government and opposition in the Maldives.
Protests had erupted outside the Trincomalee Naval Base in the northeastern part of Sri Lanka after local media reports emerged that former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had sought refuge there. On Monday, Rajapaksa resigned from his post amid the anti-government protests.
Mahinda Rajapaksa’s eventual resignation and a curfew have failed to douse public anger. On May 10, Sri Lankan authorities issued shoot-on-sight orders for anyone damaging public property or threatening lives.
Rejecting claims that India would send troops to control the situation, the Indian mission also said India is “fully supportive” of the island nation’s democracy, stability, and economic recovery.
“The high commission has recently noticed rumors circulating in sections of media and social media that certain political persons and their families have fled to India,” it said in an earlier tweet on Tuesday. “These are fake and blatantly false reports, devoid of any truth or substance.”
The Indian High Commission categorically denied “speculative media reports” about India sending its military troops to Sri Lanka, noting that it is not in line with the position of the government of India.
“The spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs of India clearly stated yesterday [May 10] that India is fully supportive of Sri Lanka’s democracy, stability, and economic recovery,” the commission added.
The Spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs of India clearly stated yesterday that #India is fully supportive of Sri Lanka's democracy, stability and economic recovery. (2/2)
— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) May 11, 2022
The ministry of external affairs in a statement pointed toward India's "Neighbourhood First policy" and said that it has "extended support worth over US$ 3.5 billion to the people of Sri Lanka this year alone for helping them overcome their current difficulties". The statement explained, "people of India have provided assistance for mitigating the shortages of essential items such as food, medicine, etc."
The Indian support to Sri Lanka includes $500 million for fuel and $1 billion for food, medicine, and essential supplies, a credit swap of $400 million, and deferment of an Asian clearing union payment of over $515 million.
As part of lines of credit, India has already sent diesel, petrol, and rice to the country.
On the same day, fuel to the ‘India must send troops’ fire was added by BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy who tweeted on May 10 that the Indian Army must be sent to “restore Constitutional sanity”.
Yes in Sri Lanka.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) May 10, 2022
Swamy had made similar calls for Indian intervention during the Maldives crisis of 2018, invoking criticism from both the government and opposition in the Maldives.
