Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on Saturday known as for nearer cooperation with India in commerce, maritime safety, and sustainable livelihoods, whereas acknowledging the sensitivities surrounding the problem regarding fishermen of the 2 international locations.
Talking at a civic reception hosted by India Basis right here, Harini Amarasuriya mentioned Sri Lanka firmly believes in a free, open, and inclusive Indian Ocean area and past, the place all nations can pursue their respectable pursuits in peace and prosperity.
She mentioned Indian Ocean safety is one thing that issues each our international locations.
“No bilateral relationship is with out its challenges, and ours is not any exception. Points such because the Indian fishermen fishing in Sri Lankan waters and interesting in dangerous practices like backside trawling is of deep concern to the fishermen in Northern Sri Lanka, who’re regaining their livelihoods after years of battle. This can be a matter that requires delicate dealing with and sustainable options. We’re very conscious of this, and we’re continuously in dialogue to attempt to discover a cheap answer that satisfies each events,” she mentioned.
“What provides me confidence is that each our governments are dedicated to addressing these issues by dialogue with empathy and respect for the livelihoods of each our peoples. The mark of a mature relationship isn’t the absence of variations however the means to handle them constructively. I imagine our relationship has achieved that maturity and our two international locations are capable of resolve any and all points in a spirit of friendship and mutual lodging,” she added.
Dr Amarasuriya mentioned Sri Lanka seeks to develop as a maritime hub for the Indian Ocean area and could be a pure cost-efficient hub for India’s export and import commerce with the world utilizing Sri Lanka’s deep water and environment friendly ports situated within the east-west transport lanes.
“Our ports can proceed to be developed additional as gateways to India’s commerce. Being India’s closest maritime neighbour, Sri Lanka could be a pure complement and associate in the direction of India attaining Viksit Bharat. Indian Ocean safety is one thing that issues each our international locations, compelling us to proceed to collaborate on maritime safety, drug trafficking, piracy, regional maritime cooperation and power safety, notably renewable power improvement for mutual profit. Widespread challenges require a collective response,” she mentioned.
“Our area’s future depends upon collaboration, mutual respect, and adherence to worldwide legislation. Sri Lanka firmly believes in a free, open, and inclusive Indian Ocean area and past, the place all nations can pursue their respectable pursuits in peace and prosperity,” she added.
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister mentioned India is an important associate in her nation’s financial restoration and improvement.
“The India-Sri Lanka Free Commerce Settlement, signed in 1998, which was the primary for each our international locations, has created important alternatives for our economies. We’re dedicated to deepening our financial partnership by negotiations on the financial and technological cooperation settlement, which we’re hopeful of recommencing quickly. It might be to our mutual profit to discover how Sri Lanka can combine into India’s manufacturing and repair sector worth chains,” she mentioned.
“As India seeks to place itself as a worldwide manufacturing hub beneath Viksit Bharat, maybe Sri Lanka may function a complementary manufacturing base, together with for industries like textiles, electronics and meals processing,” she added.
Former President Ram Nath Kovind and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri additionally attended the occasion.
Dr Amarasuriya, who’s on a three-day official go to to India, additionally met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi on Friday. The discussions centred on strengthening bilateral cooperation and addressing key regional points, together with the long-standing matter of the fishermen’s subject.