In an attempt to repair a long-standing friendship soured by the China factor, Sri Lanka appears determined to unleash a new diplomatic initiative to elevate ties with India to that of a special relationship.

A mission document prepared for Sri Lankan diplomatic missions in India for 2021-23 makes a rare admission that bilateral ties are now hit by a “growing trust deficit” due to “changes in the geo-political equilibrium in the region”.

This has led the India-Sri Lanka relationship to be “increasingly dominated by a transaction approach”, says the 27-page document prepared ahead of the arrival in New Delhi of Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner-designate to India, Milinda Moragoda.

The document, “Integrated Country Strategy for Sri Lankan Diplomatic Missions in India”, is marked by a rare candor not common in diplomatic stocktaking. It seeks to achieve Sri Lanka’s foreign policy objective vis-à-vis India while coming closest to admitting that China has cast a long shadow over Colombo-New Delhi ties.

“The overarching goal … should be to contribute towards continuously maintaining the momentum of the existing partnership between the two countries, and to elevate that partnership to the level of a special relationship,” it says.

The document, which has President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's approval, was seen in the preparatory stages by senior Foreign Service officers, former High Commissioners to India as well as academics, besides serving Sri Lankan diplomats in India.

While the document is expected to provide an indicative framework for the Sri Lankan missions’ work for the next two years, it will be an evolving framework that could be further fine-tuned in the implementing phase. Colombo has a High Commission in New Delhi, a mission in Chennai and Mumbai and a consulate is set to open in Kolkata in 2022.

Repairing diplomatic rupture

India-Sri Lanka relations have seen many ups and downs since Tamil militancy erupted in the 1980s with New Delhi’s backing, but they have touched an absolute low after Colombo embraced Beijing, ending all pretensions of an equidistant policy.

The policy document, whose contents are being made public for the first time by South Asia Monitor, could be an attempt to repair the diplomatic rupture by a country where many are upset over Colombo’s brazen anti-India posturing.

Underlying the “thousands of years” of bilateral friendship, it says: “Even with the inherently asymmetric nature and despite special and differential treatment regimes, there is no lack of strategic content in the relationship between Sri Lanka and India.”

It makes a specific reference to the death of nearly 1,200 Indian soldiers in the war against the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka’s northeast in 1987-90, a sacrifice which many Indians feel has never been properly recognized by Colombo.

Expanded collaboration

It seeks expanded collaboration in strategic cooperation, defense ties and Indian Ocean security, joint military exercises, study tours, more high-level military exchanges besides relevant training berths offered by the Defence Ministry in India.

It calls for establishing and maintaining contacts with Indian paramilitary and police forces to get additional training opportunities for Sri Lankan counterparts.

The document suggests at least one visit a year from Sri Lanka to India by the Secretary of Defence, the Chief of Defense Staff, Commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force as well as the Director-General Coast Guard. It seeks three visits to Sri Lanka by defense delegations from India.

At the same time, “it would be important to offer training opportunities in Sri Lankan military establishments to Indian military personnel.”

The document says India’s commitment of billions of dollars as development assistance, the Free Trade Agreement, military ties and much more “amply demonstrate the breadth and depth of the strategic partnership.”

“In recent years, the Indo-Sri Lanka bilateral relationship has been increasingly dominated by a transactional approach. This is a consequence of the changes in the geo-political equilibrium in the region that have resulted in a growing trust deficit.

“Although this development might, at times, be perceived as a setback, this transactional aspect can be channeled towards building confidence and, utilized as a means to bridge the trust deficit.

“If viewed in this way, this process could help reset this vital bilateral relationship and lay the foundation for an even stronger and enduring partnership between the two countries,” the document says.

The Sri Lankan missions should create multi-faceted platforms for strategic level dialogue and cooperation, to raise the partnership to a special relationship, “one marked by inter-dependence, mutual respect and affection”.

The document calls for increased interactions at the political level through the regular exchange of high-level political visits and cooperation with India at multilateral and regional levels.

There must be at least one visit by the Head of State or government from either side each year “since it is imperative to maintain constant communication and to develop mutual trust at (the) political level with India”.

Interactions with Indian states

Unlike until now, Colombo should build greater interactions with Indian states “considered important from the Sri Lankan perspective” and go for exchanges also at Provincial Council and local government levels.

The document says the continued presence of thousands of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu “gives rise to complications in bilateral relations. Vested interests have exploited the sentiments … to give credence to their theories for political gains.”

The voluntary repatriation of the refugees through the existing mechanism is slow. “Settling the issue of externally displaced persons could prevent fringe elements from dominating the discourse concerning this emotive issue.”

In an unusual step, it seeks engagement with the political leadership of Tamil Nadu to encourage a smooth return of the refugees to Sri Lanka and also on the issue of fishermen, including bottom trawling.

Besides fostering relations between influential MPs from both countries, it wants a functional and vibrant Indo-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Indian Parliament.

The document wants to increase Indian investments in Sri Lanka, scale up Sri Lankan exports to India, and promote Indian tourism to the island nation. According to projections, Indian tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka could touch 169,955 in 2022.

Issues affecting Sri Lankan exports to India include increasing protectionism, limited market access, a challenging and unpredictable regulatory environment and the ‘Make in India’ initiative which prioritizes local business and sourcing of local raw materials and products over imports.

Realizing the pro-Hindu nature of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, there is an emphasis on increased “Hindu exchanges between the two countries”.

The document calls for a ceremonial handing over of a “sacred stone” from the Sita Amman temple in Sri Lanka to the Ram Mandir (temple to Lord Rama) in Ayodhya besides opportunities for Sri Lankan Hindu religious leaders and scholars to visit India.

Highlighted in this connection are the Buddhist circuit in India, the Ramayana, Murugan and Shiva Shakthi trails in Sri Lanka as well as the Vailankanni trail in south India.

Colombo seeks Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in Sri Lanka, particularly because of its homegrown Covid-19 vaccine, commercial links with Indian IT majors, and learning from Indian expertise in disaster management.

Colombo also wants to pursue the resumption of passenger ferry services between Thalaimannar and Rameswaram, Colombo and Tuticorin and Kankesanthurai and Karaikal.
                                                             
(The writer is a veteran journalist, author and Sri Lanka watcher. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached on ranjini17@hotmail.com)