New Delhi: Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday offered assistance to Sri Lanka after he came across a tweet that shared the plight of a hospital where surgeries were suspended amid the deepening economic crisis in the country.
Jaishankar shared the tweet from his official account that read, “Scheduled surgeries at the Peradeniya Hospital were suspended due to a shortage of medicines. Only emergency surgeries are taking place (sic).”
Foreign minister, who replied saying he was disturbed to see the news, offered help from India on this issue. “Am asking High Commissioner Baglay to contact and discuss how India can help,” Jaishankar tweeted.
Disturbed to see this news. Am asking High Commissioner Baglay to contact and discuss how India can help.@IndiainSL #NeighbourhoodFirst https://t.co/jtHlGwxCBL
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 29, 2022
India’s support comes amid assurance to the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government in coping with the unprecedented economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to Colombo for taking part in the BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting later on Tuesday. Jaishankar met Sri Lanka’s top politicians, including President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. He also met with the country’s finance minister Basil Rajapaksa.
“Discussed the economic situation and India’s supportive response. We will continue to be guided by Neighbourhood First,” the minister tweeted after he met Basil, who is in touch with India for implemting the measures to cope with the economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
India has already extended financial assistance worth more than $1.5 billion to Sri Lanka, including two lines of credit for purchasing fuel, food and medicines. Sri Lanka is currently facing economic and energy crisis triggered due to a shortage of foreign exchange.
Sri Lanka has again sough a credit line of $1.5 billion from India to import essentials, informed the central bank governor on Monday, according to Reuters. With 22 million population, the island country is struggling to finance essential imports after a 70 per cent drop in foreign exchange reserves in two years led to a currency devaluation and efforts to seek help from global lenders.