By Maneshka Borham/Sunday Observer
Colombo, December 14- The mission, part of India’s broader Neighbourhood First policy, underscores a long-standing pattern of support that stretches back for decades.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer, India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha reflected on India’s enduring commitment to Sri Lanka, the evolving trajectory of bilateral cooperation, and the strategic, humanitarian, and civilisational foundations that continue to shape the relationship between the two neighbouring countries.
Excerpts
Q: Following Cyclone Ditwah, India again stepped in as Sri Lanka’s first responder, continuing a long standing pattern. Why does India place such importance on responding swiftly to crises in Sri Lanka? Some would ask if it is an attempt to minimise Chinese influence on the country?
A: This is a very narrow way of looking at things. India has a neighbourhood first policy which is a declared one. Here there is a humanitarian crisis happening in a neighbouring country.
It is natural that India will respond in such situations. I have said this in my public remarks before that any problem or any kind of crisis that happens in our neighbourhood, we see that as a crisis that has happened to our country.
Our commitment to Sri Lanka is in these situations the same as we have for ourselves. So this is a very natural response. This is based on established policy. I will draw your attention to every humanitarian crisis that Sri Lanka has faced since 2004, we have responded.
After the 2004 tsunami, during the landslides and floods in 2016, and again amid the economic crisis in 2022, India stepped in to support Sri Lanka. Today, Sri Lanka is facing a very significant crisis, with 22 of its 25 districts affected.
In such circumstances, it is natural for Sri Lanka to look to India for assistance. But the fact of the matter is that we did it without even Sri Lanka asking for it initially.
Q: To what extent has India’s first responder posture, driven by the Neighbourhood First policy, influenced the trajectory of India–Sri Lanka relations?
A: I think it is now an expected position that if there is a crisis in the neighbourhood, India responds as the first responder. I am sure what we are doing is being done in the spirit of cooperation and friendship that we have. Our relations have been excellent in recent years. We are going through a very intensive phase of cooperation. So I am sure whatever we are doing is a continuation of that.
Q: How would you describe the current trajectory of India–Sri Lanka relations? Has the relationship entered a new phase in the post-crisis era?
A: I see more continuity than change. Relationships will change from time to time. If you look at the bigger picture, the large-scale projects we are undertaking have been ongoing for several years.
Between 2007 and 2010, when I served as a Counsellor, I was directly involved in many of these initiatives. We were working on projects such as the proposed power plant in Sampur and discussions on upgrading the free trade agreements. I could cite numerous examples.
One such initiative is our extensive housing program in Sri Lanka, which spans every district across the country. We have also committed to building 10,000 houses in the up-country plantation communities. These programs predate the recent crises, reflecting a strong sense of continuity. Much of what we are doing today is either a continuation or an expansion of efforts that were already underway.
These are long gestations and have been going on for a very, very long time. I would say that the relations are better than ever before. In that sense, you can say that that is the change on a positive side and the trajectory of the relationship.
The areas that we are cooperating with are widening. I think there is more trust and confidence in the relationship. All these are positive points that you can say, okay, the intensity of the cooperation is of higher degree. But I wouldn’t say that there is a cut-off point in our relationship. There is more continuity in the relationship.
Q: India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has played a significant role in rescue and recovery operations following Cyclone Ditwah. Given Sri Lanka’s vulnerability to climate change–induced disasters, would India be willing to support Sri Lanka in developing a similar disaster response team?
A: There is a need to cooperate on building resilience and establishing systems which can respond to these situations better as well as having a kind of infrastructure that is disaster resilient.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took the initiative to launch the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. I believe Sri Lanka is a member of that and that is something focused on this kind of an activity. Disaster response and resilience is also part of the Colombo Security Conclave. It is also part of the BIMSTEC that is part of our multilateral cooperation. We are currently engaging with Government of Sri Lanka.
In the past week, Sri Lankan officials have engaged the States of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha who have excellent disaster response and disaster relief systems. We were told by the Odisha Government that in the past few years, there has been zero deaths of humans and zero livestock casualties during cyclones in Odisha. We also have very similar, very tech, advanced technology systems in Andhra Pradesh.
So the discussions have begun as to whether we can create a similar system in Sri Lanka for future contingencies. I don’t know whether Sri Lanka would like to set up a national disaster response force like the one we have. If they are interested in it, I can assure you that we will be very supportive and do everything that we can to help build it.
Q: Despite Pakistani and Indian airspace being closed to each other, India opened its airspace to allow Pakistan to deliver humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, an arguably remarkable move. What signal does this send?
A: They asked for flight clearance. Within four hours the clearance was given. Flight clearance for our planes coming to Sri Lanka takes much longer even in a disaster situation where Sri Lanka is willing to receive it. Also remember that the airspace of Pakistan is closed for Indian flights. They never allow any relief flights to go over their territory. We have our airspace closed for Pakistan as well and despite that, we gave clearance within four hours.
We would never use a humanitarian situation to score political points. Our response was immediate because we wanted to send relief very genuinely. Our focus was on the people of Sri Lanka. As I have said before, our friendship is with the people of Sri Lanka. Governments come and go but the friendship has been there for centuries and that is where our commitment is.
The message to the Sri Lankan people is a humanitarian one. We care for Sri Lanka and we do not want to get in the way of Sri Lanka receiving aid from any country in the world.
The quantum of our aid is quite large. But if there are other countries providing aid and it is helping Sri Lanka and this is a humanitarian situation, why should India be in its way as a friendly country?
Our approach to Pakistan is different because of the specificity of our relationship because of the export of terrorism and the fact that it is the epicentre of terrorism. Our relationship with Sri Lanka is different and it is based on very cooperative, friendly, civilisational ties that we have.
Q: Sri Lanka has increasingly recorded seasonal spikes in air pollution allegedly linked to transboundary winds from Northern India. How seriously does India take this issue, and is there bilateral cooperation underway to monitor and mitigate this?
A: I can’t imagine that it could be linked to another country. Climate change is a global problem. Our per capita emissions in India is the lowest in the world. It is one-third, or one-fourth of even other big emitters. If you look at the developed world it can even be one- seventh or one-tenth depending on which developed country you are talking about.
So we are not responsible as developing countries and the Global South for climate change events that are happening but we are worst affected by it. We must cooperate on these issues. Anybody insinuating that this is happening because India is doing something is very narrow focused and not based on scientific facts.
Q: There are claims being made that India warned Sri Lanka about Cyclone Ditwah well in advance. Is there any truth to this?
A: I am not aware of that, as it was not handled through my office. Over the past week, we have shared satellite imagery through our space agency. However, I am not aware of any information being officially exchanged between the two agencies previously. There are, of course, regional mechanisms in place, but I do not have information on whether any data was shared through those channels.
Q: Post-Cyclone Ditwah – what other modes of support does India have in the pipelines for Sri Lanka?
A: I don’t believe in announcing things in advance. So we will allow things to evolve and develop. We are in discussion with the Sri Lankan Government of what the short term, medium term requirements are in terms of rebuilding and when we have been able to agree on some sort of assistance, we will let you know.
Q: If you were to give one message to the Sri Lankan public about India’s long-term commitment, what would it be?
A: India’s long-term commitment to Sri Lanka is not just long-term but in fact a forever commitment to Sri Lanka. We are neighbours and we have to live together as we have done for centuries. We would not be what we are without that experience that we have shared.
The future, therefore, must be built on this foundation — through cooperation, by sharing our prosperity, ensuring collective security, and working together as closely as possible. We must integrate our economies so that prosperity in one country benefits the other. This is how States strengthen one another, and how enduring friendships are formed. I am very optimistic that this is the path we are following, as Sri Lanka and India are led by leaders who are sagacious and take the right decisions in the right spirit.
END
