Turning goodwill into a durable Indo-Lanka partnership

A recent Pew Research Center survey of attitudes towards India across 36 countries found that Sri Lanka had the most favourable view of its giant neighbour, with 79% of respondents in our country expressing a positive opinion of India. This is a striking change from the bitterness that characterised much of the relationship in the 1980s. India was not merely viewed negatively but was seen by many as an aggressor. Sinhalese and Tamil communities, for different reasons and at different times, came to resent India’s interventions in Sri Lanka. The arrival of the Indian Peace Keeping Force, following the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, became deeply controversial, while the infamous “parippu drop”, seen as a humiliating violation of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and an intervention that offered the embattled LTTE leadership a lifeline, will no doubt remain the nadir of the relationship.

Much has changed since then, and fortunately so. The wounds have not disappeared entirely, but the political and emotional landscape has evolved. India and Sri Lanka today have vastly greater economic, cultural and people-to-people connections. The Pew finding also demonstrates that ordinary Sri Lankans are not prisoners of the resentments of the past, nor are they victims of machinations by those who foment anti-Indian, nationalist narratives for petty political gain.

The challenge now is to convert this goodwill between two peoples into a stronger and more durable political relationship between two sovereign states.

That does not mean ignoring legitimate disagreements. One of the most persistent irritants is the problem of Indian fishermen entering Sri Lankan waters, particularly in the northern and eastern seas. Their activities have significantly damaged marine resources and threaten the livelihoods of Sri Lankan fishing communities. For years, the two governments have failed to resolve this issue, leading to excessively emotive and disruptive political rhetoric in Tamil Nadu and, at times, even at the Centre over Katchatheevu. Sri Lanka should be clear and firm about its sovereignty while avoiding inflammatory rhetoric of its own. The issue is best handled through established diplomatic channels rather than electoral politics.

There is, however, a much larger relationship waiting to be built, with trade at its centre. In this regard, Sri Lanka’s own fears of competition have hindered its ability to leverage the once-in-a-generation rise of India by integrating itself more deeply into its neighbour’s supply chains. The Free Trade Agreement, signed in 1998 and entered into force in 2000, remains underutilised by Sri Lanka, while the much more ambitious Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has stalled, in part because of the vested interests of particular industries and individuals on the Sri Lankan side.

Energy is another area where cooperation could be transformative, yet progress has been delayed for many years. Whether it is grid connectivity, the joint development of the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm or investment in the renewable energy sector, projects that could have delivered significant benefits to both countries have remained stalled for nearly two decades. Such projects must, of course, be transparent and commercially sound, and they must not become opportunities for cronies to make a quick buck. But they also need to be expedited so that both countries can reap the benefits of their mutual economic growth.

Few countries in the world currently hold such a favourable view of India as Sri Lanka does. That goodwill is a precious diplomatic asset. Colombo and New Delhi should have the confidence to build upon it, manage their disagreements honestly and pursue a relationship based not on fear or dependence, but on mutual respect, sovereign equality and shared prosperity.

In a rare display of prudence in the diplomatic sphere, the administration of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has chosen an ideal diplomat to lead Sri Lanka’s mission in Delhi. This is a rare opportunity to think big and take this vital relationship to a level that reflects the sentiments and aspirations of the two peoples.