Lanka envoy meets Doval, discuss bilateral ties

A post in the official Twitter handle of the Sri Lanka High Commission in India aread, "Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to India @MilindaMoragoda met with the National Security Advisor of India Shri Ajit Kumar Doval today (12) in New Delhi and reviewed the current status of the relations between Sri Lanka and India."

Both sides discussed the current status of bilateral ties.

Earlier in September, Moragoda described the relationship between the two countries as "special" saying India's security interests are "our own security interests".

Acknowledging India's efforts to help Sri Lanka cope with its worst economic crisis, the High Commissioner told ANI that he is grateful for India's support.

"India provided us help and assistance when nobody stepped up. India has not only helped us with funding but has also spoken to the IMF and other development partners, encouraging them to support us," the High Commissioner said.

On the docking of a Chinese research ship at Sri Lanka's Hambantota Port in August, the High Commissioner said the decision to allow the docking of the Chinese ship 'Yuan Wang 5' was taken at the level of "officials" at a chaotic time when former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was fleeing civilian unrest in the island-nation.

Since the beginning of this year, India has extended aid worth USD 3.8 billion, including lines of credit, a currency swap and deferring of loan repayments to Sri Lanka, which is still grappling with its worst economic crisis amid political instability.

New Delhi has been at forefront of extending economic assistance to Sri Lanka as per their requirements and is one of the countries to have provided the maximum assistance in time of need.

Since the beginning of 2022, Sri Lanka faced an escalating economic crisis after the government has defaulted on its foreign loans.A crippling economy led to shortages of food and fuel affecting a large number of the people in the island-nation. The economy in Lanka has been in a free fall since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Amid its worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948, widespread protests erupted across Sri Lanka forcing Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign as President. He was eventually replaced by Ranil Wickremesinghe. (ANI)