Sri Lanka to have ‘India first’ approach for security policy, says new Foreign Secy

Amid the changing geopolitical situations with the US and China becoming two major factions and China's aggressive and expansionist approach towards neighbouring countries including India, Sri Lanka's strategic security policy will have an “India first” approach.

Jayanath Colombage, the island nation's new foreign secretary from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's cabinet said in two of his interviews that the president has made it clear that even though Sri Lanka is open to dealing with other major countries for economic development, it will always be a friend of India when it comes to strategic security.

Colombage, a retired admiral who commanded Sri Lanka’s navy during 2012-14 is the nation's first-ever foreign secretary from a military background to be appointed to head the Foreign Ministry. Colombage, who is said to be a close aide of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was appointed by the president on August 14 to head the foreign ministry.

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'We can’t afford to be a strategic security threat for India'

“Very categorically, the president has stated that we have a strategic security-wise ‘India first’ policy because we cannot be, we should not be, we can’t afford to be a strategic security threat for India, period,” Colombage said in an interview to a Sri Lankan news channel named Derana 24.

“Even to India...very firmly, the president has said, you are my first priority in so far as security is concerned but I have to deal with other players for my economic prosperity.”

“China is the second-largest economy and India is considered the sixth-largest. In 2018 India was the world’s fastest-growing economy. That means we are between two economic giants”, he said.

“Sri Lanka cannot afford any particular country to use it as a staging area to do anything against another country, especially to India,” he said.

Speaking of the Hambantota port which lies in the south of the island nation and is controlled by the Chinese company, Colombage said it was offered to India first but India showed no interest after which the port went under Chinese control. 

At present, 85% stake of the port is with China Merchant Holding Company, however, it is limited to commercial activities and not for military purposes.

“Now in that deal, roughly...about 85% of that project’s stakes are for China Merchant Port Holding and only 15% for Sri Lanka. We will do everything so that no one can use our country against another country but then giving total control for a long period, of majority 85% is a very high stake,” he told the news channel.

He asserted that the Sri Lankan government will not hand over total control of strategic national assets to a foreign power following the experience with Hambantota port, which was given to China Merchant Port Holding for 99 years.

Colombage's assertion in favour of India holds prominence as the port's control by the Chinese was considered as a major hiccup for India due to the port's access to the Indian ocean and the trade routes in it going to the Chinese control.

Colombage told the Daily Mirror that China understands Sri Lanka’s position and “is pushing for commercial things”. He added, “China also understands it isn’t ethical to push Sri Lanka beyond a certain point that is worrisome to India.”

In 2015, India was apprehensive of Sri Lanka's leaning towards China. India along with Japan and the US had criticised the move of giving away the control of the port to the Chinese firm. “We actually made India jittery during the period between 2015 and 2019. But India is comfortable with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa,” he said.

He asserted that going forward Sri Lanka will always retain 51% stake in any other project with foreign entities that involve the national assets.

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