Speaking at the Asia Society in New York, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar addressed India’s approach towards its neighbouring countries, particularly in light of the upcoming elections in Sri Lanka. He emphasised India’s commitment to supporting its neighbours without imposing political conditions or seeking control over their internal affairs.
Jaishankar highlighted India’s substantial financial assistance to Sri Lanka during its recent economic crisis, stating, “We stepped forward in respect of Sri Lanka when it was facing a very deep economic crisis, and very frankly when nobody else came forward. I’m very glad we did it in a timely manner, we did it on scale, we put out $4.5 billion effectively, and what it did was it stabilised the Sri Lankan economy.”
He stressed that India’s aid was given out of goodwill, not with any political strings attached. “It was not that we had a political conditionality which accompanied that; we were doing it as a good neighbour who did not want to see that kind of economic meltdown at our doorstep,” Jaishankar explained.
In discussing the broader region, he reaffirmed that each country has its own unique political dynamics, and India does not seek to interfere. “What happens politically in Sri Lanka, that’s for their politics to work out… each of our neighbours has their own particular dynamics,” he said. He further clarified that India’s foreign policy focuses on mutual benefit and regional stability rather than control.
Jaishankar also spoke about India’s relationship with Bangladesh, highlighting the positive outcomes of joint projects over the past decade that have benefited both nations. “Economic activity overall has picked up, logistics in that region have improved, and both countries have gained a lot out of that,” he noted, urging observers not to adopt a deterministic view of India’s role in its neighbours’ political affairs.
He concluded by reaffirming his confidence in enduring relationships within the region, shaped by interdependence and mutual benefit. “In our neighbourhood, the realities of interdependence, mutual benefit, and our ability to get along will serve both our interests; those realities will assert themselves. That’s been the history,” he asserted.
