External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that India will stand by its commitment to Neighbourhood First Policy when it comes to supplying the vaccines to fight Covid.
Addressing the Joint press conference in Colombo after meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardane, EAM said, “We are now looking at post-Covid cooperation and I carry back with me Sri Lanka’s interest in accessing vaccines from India and I shared with the Hon’ble Foreign Minister, as Prime Minister Modi has said, India sees International cooperation in this area as its duty.”
Mentioning the specific challenges in Finance and Trade and the untapped potentials between the two countries in the post covid world EAM said, “There are many proposals under discussion, including in infrastructure, energy, and connectivity. Their early implementation is obviously in our mutual interest and would definitely accelerate Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. We have discussed some important opportunities, in the course of yesterday and today, including in special zones for pharmaceutical manufacturing as also in tourism. I will ensure an early follow-up from the Indian side.”
India has a solid record as a development partner of Sri Lanka in the social, community, and human resources sectors, whether it is in mass housing or ambulance services, heritage conservation, or education. Extending its support further, EAM said that Indian will keep the Sri Lankan priorities ahead on all future developmental collaboration. “We are cognizant of the domestic priorities of the Sri Lankan Government, including in agriculture and technology, education and skill development, and urban development. In particular, we understand the importance H.E. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Government of Sri Lanka attach to the establishment of vocational training centers. We will naturally be guided by these priorities in our future endeavours.” he said.
Referring to the ongoing process of reconciliation among the differing ethnic groups in the country, Jaishankar said that India has been strongly committed to the unity, stability, and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. “Our support for the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka is longstanding, as indeed for an inclusive political outlook that encourages ethnic harmony. It is in Sri Lanka’s own interest that the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace, and dignity within a united Sri Lanka are fulfilled. That applies equally to the commitments made by the Sri Lankan Government on meaningful devolution, including the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The progress and prosperity of Sri Lanka will surely be advanced as a consequence. “He added.
