Indian Council of World Affairs

Hon’ble Mr. Sajith Premadasa, Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Sri Lanka,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Academia, Media and Students!

1.  I have often wondered why Sri Lanka is so important for India. This pearl of the Indian Ocean has been after all following us for eons since geographical India parted ways from Africa and moved northwards as a result of plate tectonics. This epic journey together is further cemented by the ‘umbilical cord’ of the Adam’s Bridge connecting India to Sri Lanka despite the constantly changing sea levels surrounding it.

2.  Apart from the plate tectonics, it is the spiritual connect that binds the people of India and Sri Lanka together. The Gulf of Mannar, across which the Adam’s Bridge or Ram Setu is located, derives its name from Lord Vishnu. There is a certain sacred geography that defines the Indian sub-continent stretching from Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet to the Ramayana Sites and Shankari Devi Shaktipeeth in Sri Lanka or, relevant to the Buddhist period, from Lumbini in Nepal to Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. This sacred geography predates cartographic divisions of the Indian Sub-continent by several millenia.

3.  Third, and importantly, we look like each other – which adds to the comfort level in dealing with each other. This, of course, is rooted in historical migration and mobility patterns between the two countries over several millenia.

4.  Fourth, our turbulent colonial past binds us together. Having been a playground of European powers hostile to each other and battling it out on our lands, our shared history has shaped the similarity of our approaches to domestic development, to external relations and our world view, and our quest for multi-cultural ideals and inter-faith harmony.

5.  Moving to contemporary contexts, Sri Lanka is an integral part of India’s “Neighbourhood First Policy” and Vision MAHASAGAR – its maritime vision for stability, security and shared prosperity. It is now incumbent upon us to navigate, alone and together, the geopolitical shifts currently underway in a manner that serves the interests of our people and of the sub-continent. Primary among these is enhancing human security which is a key challenge facing the world today.

6.  Sri Lanka has seen several ups and downs at the turn of the new millennium. Not only has it been through a devastating Civil War, it has also been witness to terror attacks, political assassinations, societal divisions, a devastating tsunami, and near economic collapse. In all this, India has stood by Sri Lanka through thick and thin.

7.  The Present dispensation in Sri Lanka is attempting to confront deep rooted economic and political challenges. It also faces a major test of its commitment to post-war accountability and reconciliation. The role of the Opposition in Sri Lanka in all this is extremely important and significant, to say the least.

8.  I can think of two important agenda items for a renewed India-Sri Lanka partnership. One, all-encompassing connectivity – not only physical, but also digital, energy, maritime, transport & communications, people to people – which will help pave the way for strong integrative linkages. Two, greater convergence in security outlooks – as seen in enhanced defense and security cooperation and maritime cooperation at the bilateral and regional level through cooperation such as in Maritime Domain Awareness, between Coast-Guards, military-to-military exercises and other engagements, as well as cooperation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and non-traditional threats to security such as IUU fishing, piracy and armed robbery at sea, oil spills, etc. I am sure our Foreign Offices are working with each other in this regard.

9.  Friends, with this backdrop, it is my pleasure to welcome H.E. Mr. Sajith Premadasa, current Opposition Leader of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and the leader of the main opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya to ICWA, India’s oldest and leading foreign policy think tank. Mr. Premadasa entered the Parliament for the first time in 2000; he has served as Minister of Health and Housing in the Governments of Sri Lanka’s United National Party. He is seen as a people-friendly political leader and has worked extensively at the grassroots level on initiatives dealing with areas such as poverty alleviation, model villages programme, and shelter for all. He has also worked for the modernization of Sri Lanka’s construction industry and on renovation of historical sites like Buddhist stupas.

10.  May I now invite H.E. Mr. Sajith Premadasa to deliver his talk on India-Sri Lanka Bilateral Relations. Your Excellency, we are eagerly looking forward to listen to you. The floor is yours.

Thank you.

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