Sri Lanka’s Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage in a press interview to Daily Mirror mentioned that the country will adopt an “India first approach” as its new foreign policy plank and guard New Delhi’s security interests.
This comes amid China’s growing presence in the Island nation, reported news agency PTI.
"This means Sri Lanka will not do anything harmful to India's strategic security interests," said Colombage, PTI reported. Admiral Colombage was the chief of the Sri Lanka Navy between 2012-14, and is the first-ever foreign secretary to have a navy background.
Admiral Colombage was appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to head the Foreign Ministry on 14 August.
Colombage also stated: “President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has mentioned that as far as strategic security is concerned, Sri Lanka will always have ‘India’s first approach,’ and the Island nation will not do anything harmful to India’s strategic security interests.”
Colombage further mentioned that for economic development, the nation cannot depend on just one country, reported news agency ANI.
He also mentioned about the Chinese investment in Sri Lanka's southern port of Hambantota and stated that Sri Lanka had offered India Hambantota first.
“India did not undertake it for whatever reason, then it went to a Chinese company.”Jayanath Colombage, Sri Lanka Foreign Secy
He further mentioned that Sri Lanka has given 85 percent stake of Hambantota port to China Merchant Holding Company and that should be limited to commercial activities. It is not for military purposes.
Sri Lanka had handed over the Hambantota port to China on a 99-year lease, in 2017. There were regional concerns, mostly from India, that China may make a military presence at Hambantota, located on a key international shipping route, reported PTI.
Colombage stated that, President Rajapaksa will go ahead with the memorandum of cooperation signed with India on the Colombo Port's Eastern terminal.
“The President has said that he is ready to honour the agreement. As per the new guidance of the President, no national asset is given with total control to any country,” he said.
Admiral Colombage also told the Daily Mirror that President Rajapaksa’s foreign policy shift would mean that Sri Lanka would not be anymore reliant on a West-oriented policy, reported PTI.
(With inputs from Daily Mirror, ANI, PTI)
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