President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday thanked visiting External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for India’s “invaluable assistance” to Sri Lanka, which is grappling with one of its worst economic crises.
Since January, India has extended $2.4 billion assistance by way of a currency swap, loan deferment and credit lines for essential imports to help the island nation cope with a stifling dollar crisis and shortages. Following Mr. Jaishankar’s meetings with President Gotabaya, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa on Monday, Reuters news agency, citing “two sources” in Colombo, reported that Sri Lanka has sought a further $1 billion line of credit. However, when The Hindu sought confirmation of the development, a top Sri Lankan official — familiar with the ongoing negotiations — denied that Colombo has made such a request. The countries had earlier agreed to be in close touch on broader cooperation going forward, the official said.
“Met with Indian Foreign Minister @DrSJaishankar today, and I expressed my gratitude to the Government of #India for the invaluable assistance provided recently via the line of credit, on behalf of the people of #lka,” President Gotabaya said in a tweet. In his tweet on the meeting, Mr. Jaishankar said he ‘assured’ the President “of India’s continued cooperation and understanding”.
