Indo- Sri Lanka relations

Indo- Sri Lanka relations

 

Context

  • India is Sri Lanka’s closest neighbor. The relationship between the two countries is more than 2,500 years old and both sides have built upon a legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic intercourse.
  • Relations between the two countries have also matured and diversified with the passage of time, encompassing all areas of contemporary relevance.

 

What are the historical ties between India and Sri Lanka?

  • India and Sri Lanka have a long and complex history of cultural, economic, and political ties dating back over 2,500 years.
  • Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka by Emperor Ashoka's son Mahinda in the 3rd century BCE. This led to the establishment of a strong cultural and religious connection between the two countries.
  • In the 10th century CE, the Chola dynasty of South India conquered Sri Lanka several times. However, the Cholas also left a lasting cultural impact on Sri Lanka, influencing art, architecture, and language.
  • India and Sri Lanka gained independence from British rule in 1947 and 1948, respectively. India played an important role in helping Sri Lanka establish its democratic institutions.
  • Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was formed in 1976 and it was involved in an armed conflict with Sri Lankan armed forces from 1983 to 2009.
  • During the Tamil conflict, India and Sri Lanka signed the 1987 India-Sri Lanka Agreement to enact the 13th amendment and send the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka.
  • The assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 further changed India’s attitude towards the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.
  • The Civil War in Sri Lanka ended through a military operation in 2009.

 

Geographical features of the Sri lanka

  • Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, an island country lying in the Indian Ocean. It is located between latitudes 5°55′ and 9°51′ N and longitudes 79°41′ and 81°53′ E
  • An island country in South Asia it lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and southeast of the Arabian Sea; it is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.
  • Sri Lanka shares a maritime border with India and the Maldives.
  • The island consists mostly of flat to rolling coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south-central part.
  • Sri Lanka has 103 rivers. The longest of these is the Mahaweli River.
  • Sri Lanka's mangrove ecosystem spans over 7,000 hectares and played a vital role in buffering the force of the waves in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
  • The island is rich in minerals such as ilmenite, feldspar, graphite, silica, kaolin, mica and thorium.
  • The climate is tropical and warm, because of moderating effects of ocean winds.

 

Commercial Relations:

  • The entry into force of the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) in 2000 contributed significantly towards the expansion of trade between the two countries.
  • Economic ties between the two nations also include a flourishing development partnership that encompasses areas such as infrastructure, connectivity, transportation, housing, health, livelihood and rehabilitation, education, and industrial development.
  • India has traditionally been among Sri Lanka’s largest trade partners and Sri Lanka remains among the largest trade partners of India in the SAARC.
  • In 2020, India was Sri Lanka’s 2nd largest trading partner with bilateral merchandise trade amounting to about USD $ 3.6 billion.
  • Sri Lankan exports to India have increased substantially since 2000 when the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISLFTA) came into force and more than 60% of Sri Lanka’s total exports to India over the past few years have used the ISFTA benefits.

 

Development Cooperation:

  • Sri Lanka is one of India’s major development partners and this partnership has been an important pillar of bilateral ties between the two countries over the years.
  • With grants alone amounting to around USD 570 million, the overall commitment by GOI is to the tune of more than USD 3.5 billion.
  • Indian Housing Project, commitment to build 50,000 houses for the war affected as well as the estate workers in the plantation areas
  • India continues to assist in a large number of High Impact Community Development Projects in areas of education, ambulance services all over the island, small and medium enterprise development and training

 

 

Defence and security Cooperation:

  • Since 2012, India has participated in the Indo-Sri Lankan Defence Dialogue, this platform helps to review the security and defence cooperation issues between the two countries.
  • To ensure maritime security India-Sri Lanka conduct ‘SLINEX’ a joint naval exercise, India, Sri Lanka and Maldives conduct “DOSTI” a trilateral naval exercise and India and Sri Lanka hold annual joint military drill 'Mitra Shakti’ to boost counter-terror cooperation.

 

Cultural relations:

  • In contemporary times, the Cultural Cooperation Agreement signed by the Government of India and the Government of Sri Lanka on 29 November 1977 at New Delhi forms the basis for periodic Cultural Exchange Programmes between the two countries.
  • Buddhism is one of the strongest pillars connecting the two nations and civilizations from the time when the Great Indian Emperor Ashoka sent his children Arhat Mahinda and Theri Sangamitta to spread the teachings of Lord Buddha at the request of King Devanampiya Tissa of Sri Lanka.
  • The Government of India formally launched the e-Tourist Visa (eTV) scheme for Sri Lankan tourists.
  • India is the top source for tourist influx into Sri Lanka with over 4 lakh Indian tourists travelled to Sri Lanka in 2018.
  • The Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), the cultural arm of the High Commission of India, Colombo, has been playing a key role in strengthening these ties and promoting people-to-people contacts between India and Sri Lanka since its inception in 1998.

 

Recent Developments in India-Sri Lanka Relations

  •  They jointly commissioned the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre built with a USD 6 million grant from India.
  •  Both leaders virtually handed over houses constructed under the Model Village Housing Project and Indian Housing Project, with funding from India.
  •  A plan for an LNG supply, a proposed petroleum pipeline linking the two countries, and advancing oil and gas exploration projects were also discussed.

 

 Significance of Sri Lanka to India:

  • India shares a common cultural and security space with the countries in the South Asian region especially Sri Lanka.
  •  Sri Lanka's location in the Indian Ocean region makes it a strategically important hub for India's security interests.
  •  Sri Lanka is strategically important to India's navy, as the switching of naval fleets from the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea and vice versa have to take a round of Sri Lanka.
  •  India is one of Sri Lanka's key trading partners and both countries have strong economic ties. In 2020, India was Sri Lanka’s 2nd largest trading partner, with the bilateral merchandise trade amounting to about USD $ 3.6 billion.
  •  Sri Lanka's location makes it important for India's Indian Ocean strategy and for networking with partners for its aim of establishing an Indian Ocean Rim Community.
  •  India is also concerned about China's increasing presence in Sri Lanka through investments in ports, which could potentially be used for military purposes.
  • India needs the support of Sri Lanka to emerge as a Blue water navy in the Indian Ocean and also in pursuing the permanent membership in United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
  • China’s string of pearl’s strategy is aimed at encircling India to establish dominance in the Indian Ocean.

 

 Challenges for India-Russia Ties

  • As part of the Maritime Silk Route (MSR) policy, China built the Colombo and Hambantota ports. China has also collaborated in satellite launching activities with Supreme SAT (Pvt.), Sri Lanka’s only satellite operator.
  • Sri Lanka has long expressed concerns about illegal fishing by Indian fishermen within its territorial waters across the Palk Strait. There have been regular arrests of Indian fishermen for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
  •  India recognized Sri Lanka’s sovereignty over the island under the Katchatheevu Island Pact in 1974. However, Tamil Nadu claimed that Katchatheevu falls under Indian territory.
  •  India hopes that the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace, and respect would be realized and that the devolution of powers according to the 13th amendment would be taken forward. However, Colombo has not committed to this.
  • Sri Lanka has witnessed political instability in recent years, with frequent changes in government and leadership. This has affected the country’s ability to engage with India and implement policies that promote economic cooperation and regional stability.

 

Way to forward

  • Both countries should try to work out a permanent solution to the issue of fishermen through bilateral engagements.
  • The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) must be signed to improve the economic cooperation between both countries.
  • India needs to focus more on its traditional and cultural ties to improve relations with Sri Lanka.
  • Starting ferry services between India and Sri Lanka can improve people-to-people linkages.
  • Mutual recognition of each other's concerns and interests can improve the relationship between both countries.