Economic stability in region, for countries like SL, dependent on security - Indian High Commissioner

• Thankful to Sri Lanka for expressing solidarity in fight against terrorism
• Sri Lanka is a centrepiece of India’s Neighbourhood First policy

Colombo, May 19 (Daily Mirror) - In the wake of Operation Sindoor, Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, in an interview with Daily Mirror, said that economic stability in the region, especially for countries like Sri Lanka, is dependent on security.

Asserting that ‘Operation Sindoor’ is India’s established policy against terrorism, he said India had targeted only the terrorist strongholds and carefully ensured that military and civilians were not targeted.

“Our response was non-escalatory, measured, and proportionate. The same was communicated to the Pakistani side, with the clear intention not to escalate the hostilities,” he said.

He said India is thankful to Sri Lanka and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for expressing solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attacks and condemning terrorism in the strongest terms.

“President also spoke to Prime Minister of India to convey these sentiments immediately after the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam. As a country which has recently faced the devastating consequences of terrorism, Sri Lanka understands the pain and destruction it causes to communities, societies and their economies,” he said.

Responding to a query about holding in abeyance the Indus Water Treaty that provides for water sharing with Pakistan, and the decision’s implications for Sri Lanka seeking connectivity with India, he said the two issues are clearly not comparable.

“Our relations with Pakistan and Sri Lanka are built on different premises. Sri Lanka is a centrepiece of India’s Neighbourhood First policy. Our relations today is marked by unprecedented trust and goodwill at all levels. Not just with Sri Lanka but we have energy connectivity projects with our other neighbours such as Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh,” he said.

He said the underlying principle of ‘Operation Sindoor’ is zero tolerance for terrorism and Sri Lanka has itself been a victim of terrorism and shares the principle of zero tolerance. See full interview in A4