Colombo, Aug 11
Recalling India's massive support during Sri Lanka's unprecedented economic crisis, a Lankan MP has urged his countrymen to back New Delhi's stand against what he termed as US President Donald Trump's "selective and unfair trade" measures, saying "India’s courage inspires Asia".
Noted economist and Colombo MP Harsha de Silva urged fellow lawmakers in the Parliament to be respectful towards India amid its ongoing tensions with the US following the recently-imposed tariffs on Indian goods. He recalled how India was the only nation that extended critical assistance to Sri Lanka during its economic crisis.
"Don’t laugh at India. Don’t mock them when they are down because when we were down, they were the only ones to lend us a hand. It ain’t over until the fat lady sings. We witnessed you laughing. Don’t laugh. India expected the tariffs to come down to 15 per cent, and so did we," the Member of Parliament was quoted as saying by Daily Mirror on Monday.
While addressing the Lankan Parliament, Silva emphasised the deep bond shared between India and Sri Lanka and backed New Delhi's stand on US tariffs.
Silva's statement comes after Trump on August 6 announced an additional 25 per cent tariffs on imports from India, citing the country’s continued purchase of Russian oil. India has termed Washington's decision as "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable."
The Lankan politician also shared a video of his speech in parliament on X, writing, "Called out the Govt in Sri Lankan Parliament for mocking India’s bold stand against Trump’s trade tariffs. India, our true ally, stood by us in our toughest times. We should honour their fight, not laugh. India’s courage inspires Asia."
The India-Sri Lanka relationship is deeply rooted in civilizational links, shared history, religion, culture, and strong people-to-people ties. In the modern era, it has evolved into a close economic, cultural, and technical partnership. Sri Lanka is an integral part of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, and this relationship, built on mutual trust and goodwill, has stood the test of time.
"India has come to the assistance of Sri Lanka at critical moments, most recently during the unprecedented economic crisis that Sri Lanka faced in 2022. India was glad to be able to play a key role in the economic stabilization and recovery of the country thereby demonstrating its commitment as a dependable neighbour and as a first responder to any crisis in the region," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, earlier this year.
Calling India "a trusted partner", Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has also appreciated the role played by New Delhi over the last many years, including standing by the island nation in time of need and assisting it through the recent economic crisis.
"As you are aware, India extended various forms of assistance amounting to nearly four billion USD in 2022 and was the first nation to extend financial assurances to the IMF, playing a key role in supporting Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring programme. During a period of immense challenges for the country, without this support, Sri Lanka’s recovery would not have been as swift," Herath had posted on X in February this year.
