Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieved pretty much in improving relations between India and Sri Lanka which had soured during the Prime Ministership of Manmohan Singh. Modi visited not only Colombo but also Jaffna, the Tamil stronghold. He interacted with both the Sinhalese and the Tamils. The pacts signed between the two countries covered travel, tourism and trade. But the emphasis was on building trust between the two countries which is the keynote of Modi’s neighbourhood policy. Of course, the Tamil question was the most contentious which had created a rift between India and Sri Lanka at the UN some years ago. Modi stressed the primacy of the unity and integrity of Sri Lanka. At the same time, he backed the Tamil parties’ demand for devolution of powers and in that context talked of his cooperative federalism policy at home. The civil war in Sri Lanka is over and the intransigent Mahindra Rajapaksa has quit the office of President. Maithripala Sirisena who has taken over is keen on smoothing out ethnic differences in the island. Modi also met Rajapaksa to clear the air about Indian Intelligence having conspired to get the latter out of power. All this was of course coupled with a focus on shared heritage.
Strategic partnership has not been left behind. True, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership is still somewhat remote. But the pacts extended further credit to Sri Lanka to build railway and petroleum infrastructure strengthening trade and business ties. A liberal visa regime, better air and sea connectivity along with customized pilgrimage packages would boost confidence building. And the overhanging shadow of Chinese penetration into the Indian Ocean region should cease to be a constant threat.
