Indo-Lanka defence, Indo-Pak conflict and growing Indian footprint

Pakistan and China have traditionally been among Lanka’s most loyal friends, defending it at sittings on the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), when our country was accused of a plethora of rights violations.

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Since independence Lankan leaders also enjoyed cordial relations with India. However at crucial times especially at sessions of the UNHRC India remained strangely silent.

During our near three decade war against terrorism (1983 to 2009), Pakistan provided arms and ammunition to the Sri Lanka government to help defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). At that time Tamil militant groups had set up base in India which provided them with arms, ammunition and training facilities.

More recently however -during our financial melt downIndia was our saviour. It provided us a huge line of credit of around USD four billion when no country was willing to provide us with credit. The facility helped us to import vital necessities the country needed at the time.

In an earlier era too (1952), our country faced a shortage of foreign exchange to import its requirements in rice due to a loss of foreign exchange caused by the US flooding the world market with synthetic rubber. This led to a drop in Lanka’s foreign exchange earnings and an inability to purchase vital imports including rice.