The new Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena is in Delhi on his maiden visit to India. This is presents an excellent opportunity to invigorate ties between the two neighbours. India in fact may have played a crucial role in the surprise victory Sirisena pulled off over former President Mahindra Rajapaksa. Speculation is rife about the role played by Indian intelligence to ‘engineer’ the removal of the India-hating Rajapaksa.
If not a debt of gratitude, Sirisena is surely well disposed towards the Indian government. The new Sri Lankan foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera commented on this. “We must put our friendship back on track...we must accept the geopolitical reality.” India - well aware of the importance of Sri Lanka as a strategic foreign policy asset - must use this opportunity to renew ties with a country that till recently used to be a key regional ally. Speedy action is critical because during Rajapaksa’s reign, China steadily built up its relationship with Sri Lanka. Diplomatic, economic and military ties were strengthened. China used the island nation as a proxy for its geopolitical game plan of regional dominance.
Billions of dollars’ worth of loans and investment were provided for Sri Lankan infrastructure, especially after a Tsunami flattened the nation. Today China is Sri Lanka’s biggest source of foreign direct investment. This includes a $209 million airport in the south, a $1.3 billion power plant and a $500 million port expansion. President Xi Jinping became the first Chinese leader to visit Sri Lanka in 28 years when he visited last year, to enlist support for a maritime trade route.
More overtly, China is said to be building a $1 billion naval base in Hambantota. This is one of three bases planned in the northern Indian Ocean and a part of its strategic ‘String-of-Pearls’ game plan, to establish facilities and relationships with key countries in the region - extending from the Chinese mainland to Port Sudan. While China has typically denied it, credence is lent as a Chinese military submarine docked in the Colombo harbour last September.
While a traditional ally, relations between India and Sri Lanka had all but completely broken down in recent years. Regular harassment of Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait by the Sri Lankan navy, India’s demand that the UN human rights council investigate war crimes in the 30-year long civil war or the stoning of Sri Lankan pilgrims by Tamil sympathisers, relations were very troubled.
Preliminary news reports indicate that the two countries may reach an agreement on the use of nuclear power for civilian purposes. India will provide technical assistance in education and training along with a much-needed infusion of capital. A further softening of its plea before the UN human rights council, may be part of Sri Lanka’s demand and the price India pays to win its way back into Sri Lanka’s good books.
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