New Delhi:

The launch of a passenger ferry service from Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam to Kankesanthurai near Jaffna in Sri Lanka is a “truly big step” for boosting people-to-people contacts, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday.

In his remarks at a virtual ceremony on the launch of the ferry service, Mr Jaishankar said that New Delhi has a “generous and far-sighted approach” to its proximate nations, with a focus on connectivity, cooperation and contacts.

“In future, we are looking at grid connection, pipelines and economic corridor. And of course, support for all in Sri Lanka to live in equal dignity and equal rights,” he said.

India has been conveying to Colombo to fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil community in the island nation and ensure a life of respect and dignity for it. The ferry service was launched in line with an announcement made by the leaders of the two countries in July.

“This is a truly big step for people-to-people contacts between India and Sri Lanka. And it was so recognised by Prime Minister Modi and President Ranil Wickremesinghe,” Mr Jaishankar said.

The high-speed ferry is operated by the Shipping Corporation of India and has a capacity of 150 passengers. The distance of about 60 nautical miles (110 Km) between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai will be covered in approximately 3.5 hours depending on sea conditions, according to officials.

In his remarks, Mr Jaishankar also highlighted India’s ‘Neighbourhood First policy’ and its focus on boosting connectivity and cooperation with neighbouring countries.

“And that is exactly what we are seeking to do through this ferry. This is already visible in the Chennai-Jaffna flights that Prime Minister Modi has sanctioned,” he said.

“Such steps are a natural decision by a prime minister who has Tamil Nadu so close to his heart and who has taken so much interest in the welfare of all in Sri Lanka,” he said.

“After all, who can forget that Prime Minister Modiji is the first Indian prime minister ever to visit Jaffna. This commitment is also seen in support for housing projects, cultural centres and hospitals in Sri Lanka,” Mr Jaishankar said.

He also referred to India’s policy of SAGAR (Security and Growth For All in the Region) and noted that the country has again been active in ensuring maritime security and safety, as well as in disaster response and environment security.

“This ferry is an important people-to-people connect through the maritime domain. It also underlines the assistance we have provided for the smooth functioning of the Kankesanthurai harbour,” he said.

The external affairs minister also highlighted India’s focus on ease of living – or how to make life easier for a common citizen.

“It is these steps — a ferry today, an air connection before, smoother visas, more tourism — that really matter,” he said.

“And finally, there is the easier to do business commitment of the Modi government. The ferry will directly facilitate cargo services, as you all heard, and particularly help small businesses. Its benefits will reach those who otherwise may be left behind,” the External Affairs Minister said. 
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

India’s Foreign Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar speaks during a media briefing of the 23rd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) g in Colombo on October 11, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AFP

India wants to be a “friend to the world”, the voice of the global south, and will work to ensure a free, open and inclusive Indian Ocean region, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking at the annual meeting of the 23-member Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) being held in Colombo, where he also raised the “dangers” of unsustainable debt. Mr. Jaishankar, who met with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, also witnessed the signing of three agreements on bilateral cooperation. The agreements include Indian assistance for housing projects, modernising schools and a new joint project between the Indian National Dairy Development Board, Amul cooperative and the Sri Lankan Cargill Group to increase milk production in Sri Lanka.

The Minister’s visit, three months after Mr. Wickremesinghe’s visit to Delhi, also comes days ahead of the Sri Lankan President’s travel to Beijing for the Belt and Road Forum, where he is expected to discuss the Sri Lankan debt crisis, and Chinese infrastructural projects. 

“We should be clear where the dangers are, be it in hidden agendas, in unviable projects or in unsustainable debt. Exchange of experiences, sharing of best practices, greater awareness and deeper collaboration are part of the solutions,” Mr. Jaishankar told a joint press appearance with the Foreign Ministers of Sri Lanka  M.U.M Ali Sabry and Bangladesh A.K. Abdul Momen, in comments he appeared to direct at China’s loans and projects to countries in the region. 

Talks with IMF

The conference in Colombo comes even as Sri Lanka’s government is continuing negotiations with the IMF for a $2.9 billion bailout to avoid a debt crisis, with the second tranche of $330 million not yet released. Sri Lanka has won support from India including through lines of credit, debt payment moratoriums, and currency swap arrangements worth almost $4 billion, and is hoping to finalise a debt restructuring package with China, one of its bigger creditors. 

After taking charge of the IORA forum on Wednesday, Mr. Sabry said Sri Lanka, which had last chaired the grouping in 2003-4, was a founding member, of the Bandung conference which led to the Non Aligned Movement, and also had introduced a UN resolution to declare the Indian Ocean region and airspace a “Zone of Peace” in 1971. 

Mr. Jaishankar said that the “spirit of 1971” Mr. Sabry had referred to was important, but that the IORA group must  “discourage any hidden agendas to the contrary”, and must follow the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) as the “Constitution of the Seas”. 

Also read: Bankrupt Sri Lanka gets China’s tentative agreement on debt restructure

“At a time of global polarisation, we are taking the position in IORA that we want an ocean free open and inclusive rules-based ocean for the benefit of all the countries of the region. We don’t want anyone to play a proxy war in the Indian ocean specific area,” Mr. Momen told The Hindu here, adding that there is immense global interest in IORA as the Indian Ocean, which sees 86% of global trade, is the “most important ocean”. 

During the meeting, Sri Lanka took over as Chair, while India took over as Vice Chair of the IORA grouping, that was started in 1997 and now includes 23 countries in south Asia, south east Asia and Australia, west Asia and Africa, all of whom are situated around the Indian Ocean. In addition, about 11 major powers are dialogue partners including China, U.S., U.K., Russia, Japan, Turkiye, and the most recent entrant Saudi Arabia. 

“Sri Lanka has a multicultural, multireligious ethos, and we see ourselves in the centre of the Indian Ocean,” former High Commissioner to India and the Executive Director General of the IORA Secretariat in Colombo Sudarshan Seneviratne told The Hindu. “Hosting such a major conference gives a symbolic message, that despite the economic crisis we had, we feel some confidence that we are holding our own and will come through it,” he added, when asked about the significance of holding a major conference now. 

India will increase up to 50% of the financial grant for nine ongoing high-impact community projects in Sri Lanka, the Indian High Commission said here on Friday.

With the increase in the financial allocation for the projects under the India-Sri Lanka High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) framework, the current grant for the initiative stands at 3 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($9,374,303).

“The government of India has increased the financial allocation for various grant projects being implemented across the length and breadth of the country. The financial allocation has been increased by up to 50% in the case of 9 ongoing projects that are being executed under the India-Sri Lanka High Impact Community Development Project framework,” the Indian High Commission said in a statement.

It further said: “The overall financial commitment for these 9 projects currently stands at close to SLR 3 billion, after the increase”.

These projects cut across sectors ranging from education and health to agriculture, among others.

India has already completed more than 60 grant projects under the HICDP framework, covering all 25 districts of Sri Lanka.

In addition, 20 other projects are under different stages of implementation.

The HICDP framework was signed between the two countries in 2005 and subsequently renewed thrice, for a period of five years each time.

The release said the overall development cooperation partnership portfolio in Sri Lanka was around $5 billion, of which $600 million is grant.

“Demand-driven and people-centric projects carried out by the Government of India span across areas such as infrastructure development, housing, livelihood assistance etc. 1990 Emergency Ambulance Service, Railway Track rehabilitation, Integrated Water Plants, Indian Housing Project and Jaffna Cultural Center are among the landmark projects completed by India in Sri Lanka,” the statement said.