Improving Connectivity between India and Sri Lanka : Daily Current Affairs

Relevance: GS-2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Key Phrases: Improve connectivity; India’s development outreach to Sri Lanka; Pilgrimage tourism; Neighbourhood First policy.

Why in News?

Recently, steps have been taken to improve connectivity between India and Sri Lanka, especially, between the Tamil areas in the north and Tamil Nadu across the Palk Strait
- Linking by air - Jaffna to Trichy
- Linking by boat - Jaffna to Karaikal on the Coromandel Coast

Recent decisions are part of India’s development outreach to Sri Lanka that focuses on building long-term infrastructure projects in the island nation, besides aid for emergency needs such as fuel, food and essential medicines.
- India has played an important part in supporting Sri Lanka during the present economic crisis.

Until the 1980s, multiple connecting links existed between the two neighbouring nations
- The civil war in Sri Lanka in 1980’s severely curtailed exchanges and transactions between India and Sri Lanka.
A cyclonic storm in 1964 destroyed the Pamban Bridge and the railway terminus and jetty at Dhanushkodi.
- This forced the government to end the popular “Boat Mail” that connected Madras (now Chennai) and Talaimannar in northern Sri Lanka via Rameswaram through a rail link and a ferry.

Monetary Assistance
- It has extended assistance of $ 3.5 Bn to Sri Lanka.
- $ 500 Mn short-term loan would also be extended.
- $ 200 Mn Loan from State Bank of India.
- Quad members (United States, India, Japan, and Australia) to set up a foreign aid consortium to assist Sri Lanka.
Material Assistance
- Essential items have been provided as humanitarian assistance.
- Medical supplies were arranged for several hospitals in Sri Lanka.
- India and Japan jointly assist Sri Lanka.

Ports and Railways - Transportation has emerged as a key focus area in India-Sri Lanka ties.
- IRCON, an Indian Railways subsidiary, has restored the Colombo-Jaffna railway line, which was opened to the public in 2014.
- It has since expanded to Kankesanthurai beyond Jaffna.
Air connectivity
- This mode of connectivity has remained poor, as flights from Indian cities have been restricted to Colombo, which makes the journey cumbersome.
- Instead of a 45-minute journey from Jaffna to Chennai or Trichy/Madurai, people are forced to do a 6 to 8-hour rail or road journey to Colombo and then fly out.

Sri Lanka is India’s closest maritime neighbour and is just 30 nautical miles away from the territorial boundary.
Sri Lanka is a part of India’s Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) network. Under this initiative India has setup Coastal Surveillance Radars across India and as well as in Seychelles, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s ports are located on the busiest sea routes of communication. Their location can serve both commercial and industrial interest of India too.
The Civil War in Sri Lanka was fought between the separatist Tamil forces and the Sri Lankan government between 1983 and 2009.
Black July is generally seen as the start of the Sri Lankan Civil War between the Tamil militants and the government of Sri Lanka. The war had started on July 23, 1983.
13th Amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution: It envisages devolution of necessary powers to the provincial councils to address the just demand of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace, and respect within a united Sri Lanka.

In October 2019, the Palaly airport in Jaffna opened for international civilian flights for the first time. It was earlier a military base.
The first international flight to land there was an Air Alliance aircraft from Chennai, carrying top officials of the airline and journalists on board. It was a milestone moment, which restored old air links between the two cities.
Commercial operations started on 1 November 2019 with three flights in a week and with daily service expected to start soon. However, the pandemic put it all to a halt.
A ferry service was proposed from the ports of Karaikal in Puducherry and Jaffna in February 2021.
Dredging work at the Kankesanthurai (KKS) Harbour in the Jaffna district was completed by the Dredging Corporation of India, a public sector undertaking of the Government of India.

Growth in tourism
- Pilgrimage tourism can see a boost between the two nations.
- Tourism can boost the Forex reserve of Sri Lanka which is heavily burdened under foreign debt.
Cost effective and efficient communication
- Direct flights out of Jaffna to cities in Tamil Nadu will help safeguard fuel, time and money providing relief to residents of Sri Lankan.
Impetus to Trade and Commerce
- The proposed ferry services between Karaikal and Jaffna/Kankesanthurai must be upgraded to facilitate the transport of cargo between India and Sri Lanka.
- Presently, Colombo is the only port of entry for Indian goods, which makes transportation of goods both cumbersome and expensive.
Ancillary benefits
- Boost in Connectivity boosts the 3Cs (Cultural exchange, Commerce and Capacity Development).

The current crisis in Sri Lanka has provided an opportune moment for New Delhi to emphasise its “Neighbourhood First” policy. Better connectivity and improved travel facilities could help remove the remaining layers of mistrust that have constrained the India-Sri Lanka partnership from realising its full potential. As propounded by Mr Shyam Saran, Former Foreign Secretary, the idea of process-based relationship over politics-based relationship must be the guiding principle.

Source: Indian Express

Mains Question:

Q. Discuss the significance of steps taken by India and Sri Lanka to improve connectivity between the two nations.