External Affairs Minister Jayashankar says that India will support Sri Lanka during these difficult times

India on Thursday assured Sri Lanka of its support to tide over “difficult times” even as it welcomed the Trincomalee tank farms project saying it will augment bilateral energy security.

 

India’s External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, when asked at a media briefing on the possibility of India extending the credit line to help Sri Lanka overcome its economic crisis, said it has always stood by the people of that country.

 

After a telephonic conversation with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India will support Sri Lanka in “these difficult times”. On the fishermen issue, Bagchi said that the Indian High Commission in Colombo has been making efforts to ensure the early release of the remaining Indian fishermen detained by Sri Lankan authorities last month.

 

On Sri Lanka’s Cabinet approving the deal to jointly develop the Trincomalee oil tank farm with India, Bagchi said it will boost bilateral energy cooperation. “We have seen reports that the Sri Lankan Cabinet has approved the development of the Trincomalee tank farms.

 

Energy security is an important area of our bilateral cooperation with Sri Lanka,” he said. “We are in consultation with the Government of Sri Lanka for the modernisation of the Trincomalee tank farms.