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They Simply Did Not Care: Jaishankar On Katchatheevu Controversy

By LokMarg 1st April 2024

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s accusation against the Opposition regarding the Katchatheevu island row stating that the the country’s first Prime Minister, wanted to give away the island to Sri Lanka.

The issue pertains to the year 1974 when the then Indira Gandhi government had accepted the island was a Sri Lankan area under the India-Sri Lankan maritime agreement.

The issue has again resurfaced after a media report based on a RTI reply received by Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai on the 1974 pact.

PM Modi yesterday shared a statement by late DMK MP Era Sezhiyan expressing anger at the India-Sri Lanka Maritime Agreement signed by the then Indira Gandhi government by which India relinquished its claim on Katchatheevu Island and called it “an unholy agreement.”

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, EAM S Jaishankar said, “Today, it is important for the public to know and the people to judge, this issue has been hidden too long from the gaze of the public.”

“… We are talking about 1958 and 1960… The main people in the case wanted to make sure that at least we should get the fishing rights… The island was given away in 1974 and the fishing rights were given away in 1976… One, the most basic recurring (aspect) is the indifference shown by the then central government and the PMs about the territory of India…

“That fact is they simply did not care…,” Jaishankar said in his press conference.

“In an observation given by the then PM Jawaharlal Nehru in May 1961, he wrote, ‘I attach no importance at all to this little island and I would have no hesitation in giving up our claim to it. I do not like matters like this pending indefinitely and being raised again and again in parliament.’ So, to Pandit Nehru, this was a little island, it had no importance, he saw it as a nuisance… For him, the sooner you give it away, the better… This view continued on to Indira Gandhi as well…” the EAM added.

The External affairs minister put the Congress in the dock for completely ignoring Indian concerns on the island.

“The PM (Indira Gandhi) is said to have remarked in the AICC meeting that this is a little rock. I am reminded of those days when Pandit Nehru called our northern boundary as a place where not a blade of grass grew. I would like to remind them that after this historic statement by PM Nehru, he never regained the confidence of the country. The same was going to happen to the PM (Indira Gandhi) when she says that this is only a little rock and that there is nothing to worry about the territories of our country.’… So, this is not just one PM… This dismissive attitude…was the historic Congress attitude towards Katchatheevu…” Jaishankar said. (ANI)

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India’s Troubles Against Left-Arm Pacers Continue; Rohit, Kohli Succum To Afridi

By LokMarg 2nd September 2023

India’s struggles against left-arm pacers continued in their high-octane clash against Pakistan during the Asia Cup 2023 at Kandy, with its stalwarts once again being at the receiving end of an onslaught by left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Left-arm bowlers have been troubling Indian batters, notably at the ICC events for a decade or so. Be it Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson of Australia during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 semifinals, Mohammed Amir of Pakistan during the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final, Trent Boult of New Zealand in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 semifinals or Shaheen Afridi of Pakistan in group stage match of T20 World Cup 2021, Indian batters have given away wickets to these bowlers without much resistance, especially in the powerplay stage of the innings.

This same story continued during the Asia Cup clash, with Pakistan once again rocking India with some early wickets.

The first one to go was the skipper Rohit Sharma, cleaned up as he made his move against the quick ball aimed at the stumps. The skipper was out for 11. India were 15/1 in five overs.

Next up was Virat, who started off with some promise with his signature cover drive. He got a heavy inside edge as the ball hit the stumps with Shaheen maintaining his relentless pace. Virat could score runs. India were 27/2 in 6.3 overs.

The next one to go was Shreyas Iyer. Iyer. He returned to the game after an injury, made a promising start with two solid boundaries but a short delivery turned out to be his nightmare as Haris Rauf took his wicket with Fakhar Zaman taking a solid catch at deep mid-wicket. India were left reeling at 48 for 3 in 9.5 overs.

India faced another new ball collapse and Rohit and Kohli’s performance against the left-arm pacers with the new ball has come under scanner.

Since 2021, Kohli has been dismissed four times against left-arm pacers. Against them, he has managed 87 runs in 98 balls at an average of 21.75 and a strike rate of 88.77.

On the other hand, since 2021, skipper Rohit has been dismissed by left-arm pacers a total of six times. He has scored 138 runs against them in 147 balls at an average of 23, with a strike rate of 93.87 in this time period.

In total, four of these dismissals have come within the first five overs. These statistics show that India’s concerns against the moving ball, especially by the left-arm pacers, have not disappeared completely and resurface often during big matches.

India won the toss in their opening game of the Asia Cup 2023 and opted to bat in the match being played at Pallekele Stadium in Kandy in Sri Lanka.

India’s Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Pakistan’s Playing XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan(w), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf. (ANI)

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UPI-Based Payments To Be Accepted In SL

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) technology will now be accepted in neighbouring Sri Lanka.

Several agreements, including that of UPI’s acceptance in the island country, were exchanged between India and Sri Lanka in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the national capital on Friday.
UPI payments system has become hugely popular for retail digital payments in India, and its adoption is increasing at a rapid pace.

So far, France, UAE, and Singapore had parterned with India on the emerging fintech and payment solutions.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is India’s mobile-based fast payment system, which facilitates customers to make round-the-clock payments instantly, using a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) created by the customer.

In February 2023, India and Singapore signed an agreement to link their respective payment systems, allowing users in either country to make cross-border transactions. People in both the countries will be able to send money real-time via QR-code based or simply by entering mobile numbers linked to the bank account.

Earlier this month, France had agreed to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment mechanism. It will begin from the iconic and tourist hotspot Eiffel Tower.

Also, a MoU was exchanged to interlink the payment and messaging systems between the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of the UAE. It will facilitate the integration Unified Payments Interface (UPI) of India and the Instant Payments Platform (IPP) of the UAE.

India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing ecosystems for fintech innovation and the PM Modi-led government has been instrumental in driving the globalisation of India’s digital payment infrastructure.

A key emphasis of Indian government has been on ensuring that the benefits of UPI are not limited to India only, but other countries, too, benefit from it.

Taking into account the popularity of the UPI payment system, the Reserve Bank of India proposed to permit all inbound travellers to India to use UPI for their merchant payments while they are in the country.

To begin with, the facility will be extended to travellers from G20 countries arriving at “select international airports”. On February 8, the RBI governor Skaktikanta Das made the announcement while deliberating upon the outcome of the three-day monetary policy committee meeting. (ANI)

Sri Lanka To Release 22 Indian Fishermen Arrested From Jaffna

By LokMarg 5th July 2023

A Sri Lankan court has ordered the release of 22 Indian fishermen, who were arrested by the authorities, the Fisherman Association of India informed on Wednesday.

Four Indian fishing boats were impounded and 22 fishermen apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on June 22, for allegedly crossing into Sri Lankan waters.
The fishermen, who had set sail from the Mandapam and Pudukottai fishing ports in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, were arrested near Delft Island in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

After investigation, they produced before a local police court where the judge ordered their judicial custody till July 5.

The fishermen were lodged in the Jaffna jail.

After completion of the custody, the fishermen were produced before the court again, which ordered their release after due process.

The released fishermen are expected to return home in a couple of days, the Fisherman Association of India informed further.

Further details are awaited. (ANI)

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Lankan Prez Seeks India’s Help In Policy Reforms Among Other Issues

By LokMarg 4th April 2023

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has sought India’s help in policy reforms, utilisation of digital technology, capacity building, good governance, and institution building to address the recent economic challenges faced by the country and to put it on the path of high economic growth.

The help was sought during a discussion with an Indian delegation led by the Director General of the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Bharat Lal, mentions a statement from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
The Indian delegation called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe on April 1, 2023, during its two-day visit to the neighbouring country at the invitation of the Sri Lankan Government. Director General NCGG was accompanied by the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Bagley, Dr A P Singh, Associate Professor of NCGG and other senior diplomats of the Mission.

During the meeting, President Wickremesinghe shared his vision for Sri Lanka, a strategy to address the recent economic challenges and put the country on the path of high economic growth.

The discussion centred around policy reforms, good governance, digitalisation, capacity building and training, institution building, and assured public service delivery, reads the statement.

Sri Lankan President, the statement pointed out, admired the way India managed socio-economic development and ensured high economic growth.

During the discussion, President Wickremesinghe urged NCGG to help in establishing a University of Governance and Public Policy in Sri Lanka.

During the meeting, the Director General, NCGG underscored how Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon assuming the role of Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001 amid a slew of crises and negative economic growth, was able to put the state on the path of high economic growth and sustained prosperity through his vision, strategy, and progressive policies.

Consequently, Gujarat has experienced double-digit economic growth over the past two decades. Thereafter, since 2014, as Prime Minister, he has introduced a new culture of citizen-centric policies and good governance, and as a result, India is witnessing high economic growth, assured public service delivery and fast improving quality of life of its citizens.

To reinforce Prime Minister’s vision for good governance, which focuses on transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness, India is massively using digital technology and monitoring mechanisms for time-bound implementation.

In line with the Prime Minister’s philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ NCGG in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, is dedicated to promoting collaboration and learning among civil servants of India and neighbouring countries.

During the discussion, the statement says, Lankan President requested that the NCGG extend the necessary help to Sri Lanka based on India’s experience of digital governance and participatory policymaking to ensure faster socio-economic development and high economic growth.

“The discussions centred on the NCGG’s support for Sri Lanka in policy reforms, utilization of digital technology, capacity building, good governance, and institution building. They believed that this would aid Sri Lanka in strengthening its institutions and that the country is eager to learn and utilize India’s successful governance model to achieve high economic growth,” reads the statement.

The Indian delegation met several senior civil servants of Sri Lanka, said the statement, adding “Everyone is keen to know how Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a new governance model to eradicate poverty, ensure high-quality services, assured public service delivery, environmental protection, inclusion and equity, transparency and accountability, and high economic growth.”

Sri Lanka is keen to learn policy-driven governance model of India and the massive use of digital technology in the planning, execution, and monitoring of various programmes and projects.

During a series of meetings set up by the President’s office, top civil servants expressed their appreciation for the sustained assistance that India has provided to Sri Lanka during its recent unprecedented economic crisis.

Bharat Lal spoke about the Prime Minister’s mantra of ‘neighbourhood first’ and highlighted the special relationship India – Sri Lanka have. He also stressed the critical role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and vision, as well as his emphasis on good governance, in ensuring efficient, effective, and technology-driven public service delivery.

The Indian delegation emphasized the positive impact of digital technology in promoting transparency, equity, inclusion, and accountability.

Among India’s moves shared with Sri Lanka for economic growth was the automation of processes which has eliminated the need for physical interactions between individuals and officers, effectively reducing opportunities for corrupt practices, the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) which is a prime example of how process automation can bring speed and scale to development schemes.

By directly transferring cash benefits to beneficiaries’ Jan Dhan Yojana bank accounts, it was informed, the program eliminated the role of middlemen and, consequently, opportunities for corrupt practices.

The DBT was powered by the ‘JAM Trinity’ of Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile. The unique digital ID, Aadhaar, provided to each citizen streamlined the identification of genuine beneficiaries and eliminated ghost beneficiaries.

Digitalization has made a significant difference in the implementation of various developmental programs and the provision of public services, as evidenced by the recent growth in both direct and indirect taxes.

The DG also provided an example of the robust e-monitoring system of the Jal Jeevan Mission on the dashboard, which uses sensor-based IoT devices.

The NCGG was set up in 2014 by the Government of India as an apex-level autonomous institution to focus on good governance, policy reforms, training, and capacity building of civil servants of the country as well as of other developing countries. NCGG also works as a think tank. It has taken up capacity building of civil servants of several developing countries in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. (ANI)

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Stalin Condemns Attack On Tamil Fishermen In Sri Lanka

By LokMarg 21st February 2023

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday condemned the alleged attack on Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lanka nationals on February 15.

The CM wrote to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, requesting the central government to intervene and take up the matter with the Sri Lankan authorities.
Stalin wrote, “I wish to draw your immediate attention to the incident of attack on Indian fishermen that took place on 15.02.2023. In this incident, a Country Craft bearing a Registration Number IND-TN-06-MO-3051 ventured for fishing from Nambiyar Nagar fishing village (Nagappatinam District) along with six crew (members).”

“While they were reportedly fishing east of Thopputhurai on 15.02.2023, about 10 Sri Lankan Nationals in three fishing boats surrounded the Indian fishing boat and beaten our innocent fishermen with iron rods, sticks and knives. In this attack, one fisherman sustained injuries in the head and left hand and five other fishermen sustained internal injuries,” the CM added.

“Further, it is understood that the Sri Lankan Nationals took away materials worth about Rs 2 lakh, including walkie talkie, GPS equipment, battery and about 200 kg fish,” he stated further in his letter.

“The injured were admitted to Nagapattinam Government hospital for treatment. I am pained to point out that these incidents of attacks by Sri Lankan Nationals are getting frequent”, the CM further observed in his letter to the EAM.

Stalin further requested the Union government to ensure that such “acts of violence are not repeated in future”.

“Hence, I request that the Government of India take this up with the Sri Lankan Government, (which) urgently needs to restrain and take stringent action against such elements among the Sri Lankan nationals so that similar acts of violence are not repeated in future”, the letter stated further. (ANI)

Modi Calls Jaffna Cultural Centre Signifies Close Cooperation Between India, Sri Lanka

By LokMarg 12th February 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called Jaffna Cultural Centre, which was inaugurated on Saturday, an “important initiative” signifying the close cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister who had laid the foundation stone of the Jaffna Cultural Center in 2015, shared some pictures from that special visit.
“The Jaffna Cultural Center is an important initiative signifying the close cultural cooperation between India and Sri Lanka. It will benefit several people. The august presence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe made the programme even more special. @RW_UNP”,”PM Modi tweeted while acknowledging the presence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe on the occasion.

“I will never forget my special visit to Jaffna in 2015, where I had the opportunity to lay the foundation stone for the Jaffna Cultural Centre,” PM Modi added.

The Prime Minister has laid the foundation stone of the Center in 2015.

PM Modi also shared some pictures from that special visit on Twitter.

Indian Embassy in Sri Lanka tweeted, “The iconic Jaffna Cultural Center was dedicated to the people today in the gracious presence of President H.E @RW_UNP, Minister @Murugan_MOS ,High Commissioner,Hon.Ministers Vidura Wickramanayake, Douglas Devananda,Kadar Masthan,several MPs& dignitaries from all walks of life.”

The Jaffna Cultural Centre, constructed with Indian government grants, was dedicated to the people of Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting L Murugan, while inaugurating Jaffna Cultural Centre, announced a special financial assistance scheme for 100 students of the University of Jaffna, who belong to economically backward families.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was present on the occasion, expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called the Jaffna Cultural Centre a “major project” between the two nations.

While sharing glimpses of the dedication of the Jaffna Cultural Centre on Twitter, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka wrote, “The iconic Jaffna Cultural Center was dedicated to the people today in the gracious presence of President H.E @RW_UNP ,Minister @Murugan_MOS, High Commissioner, Hon. Ministers Vidura Wickramanayake, Douglas Devananda, Kadar Masthan, several MPs & dignitaries from all walks of life.”

In another tweet, Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka wrote, “H.E @RW_UNP thanked PM @narendramodi for the Center and underlined that JCC is a major project between the two countries. Minister @Murugan_MOS announced a special financial assistance scheme for 100 students in @uojofficial from economically backward families.” It further stated, “A colourful cultural show projected the diversity and richness of culture of Sri Lanka.”

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe while dedicating the Jaffna Cultural Centre, built with an Indian grant, to the people of Sri Lanka, called the centre a gift by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appreciated the efforts made by the Indian government.

Located next to the iconic Jaffna Public Library, the Jaffna Cultural Centre will be the tallest building in Jaffna town. The Jaffna Cultural Centre is a “magnificent example” of a development partnership between India and Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in the press release.

It was conceived as a reconciliation project primarily aimed at expanding the cultural infrastructure for the people of Northern Province, according to the press release. The centre is equipped with multiple facilities such as a museum of two floors, an advanced theatre-style auditorium for more than 600 people, an 11-storeyed learning tower, and a public square that could also act as an amphitheatre. (ANI)

Sri Lanka Thankful To India For Jaffna Cultural Centre: Northern Province’s Governor

By LokMarg 11th February 2023

Governor of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, Jeevan Thiagarajah, on Saturday said Sri Lanka is thankful to the government and people of India for the Jaffna Cultural Centre.

“We are grateful to the government and the people of India for this endowment. It reaches out and connects with the world of art,” Thiagarajah said at an event marked for the dedication of the Jaffna Cultural Centre to the people of Sri Lanka.
Built with an Indian government grant, the centre will stand as a symbol of the growing bilateral and developmental ties between New Delhi and Colombo.

The event was also attended by the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan who is on a four-day visit to Sri Lanka from February 9-12.

The governor during his address said that the Jaffna cultural centre connects with Sri Lanka’s rich regional history which celebrates art, faith and culture. “We have many architectural works from many cultures in the region,” he said.

“The government is currently designing a visa regime for people of Sri Lankan origin overseas to enable seamless, sustained access and presence. The region has several overseas cultural influences. The spiritual links aren’t mistakable,” the governor said.

He said that people from Sri Lanka travel to India to tax into opportunities in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Telangana for market access.

Located next to the iconic Jaffna Public Library, the Jaffna Cultural Centre will be the tallest building in Jaffna town. The centre was conceived as a reconciliation project and is primarily aimed at expanding cultural infrastructure for the people of Northern Province and help them reconnect with their cultural roots as well as to the rest of the country while rejuvenating the ancient cultural heritage of Jaffna.

The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities that include a museum on two floors; an advanced theatre-style auditorium for more than 600 people, a single-storeyed learning tower, and a public square which could also act as an amphitheatre, among others.

It also has a temporary exhibition gallery (air-conditioned), an open exhibition gallery, a gift shop, museum stores and workshop, a 100-seat conference facility, a cafeteria, a multi-media library, lecture rooms, studios, and gallery spaces.

The Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of the Jaffna centre was signed on June 9, 2014. Following its construction, the facility was virtually inaugurated during the visit of External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar to Colombo in March 2022. (ANI)

Muraleedharan Participates In Sri Lanka’s 75th I-Day Celebrations

By LokMarg 4th February 2023

Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Saturday participated in Sri Lanka’s 75th Independence Day celebrations.

The union minister said that it was a great pleasure to represent India and participate in the celebrations held in Colombo on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day of a close friend and foreign country, Sri Lanka.
“Happy to represent India at 75th Independence Day celebrations of our friendly neighbour Sri Lanka in Colombo,” he tweeted.

“This milestone coincides with 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries,” tweeted Muraleedharan.

“India will always be Sri Lanka’s true friend and reliable partner,” he added.

Muraleedharan who arrived in Colombo today was accorded a warm welcome from Tharaka Balasuriya, Sri Lankan State Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Muraleedharan is visiting Colombo at the invitation of the Government of Sri Lanka.

During the visit, the Minister of State will also have separate bilateral interactions with President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, MUM Ali Sabry, on mutual interest. He will also have an interactive session with prominent members of the Indian Diaspora, said the Ministry of External Affairs press release.

Earlier, Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar congratulated his Lankan counterpart MUM Ali Sabry on their 75th Independence Day.

“Warm congratulations to FM @alisabrypc and the Government and people of SriLanka on 75 years of their Independence,” tweeted Jaishankar.

He further reiterated that India would remain a dependable partner and a reliable friend of Sri Lanka guided by the Neighbourhood First policy.

“Guided by our Neighbourhood First policy, India will always remain a dependable partner and a reliable friend,” tweeted Jaishankar.

Sri Lanka is India’s close neighbour and friend and occupies a central place in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. India, as always is committed to standing with the people of Sri Lanka for their economic recovery, growth and prosperity. (ANI)

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US Under Secretary Of State To Visit India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Qatar

By LokMarg 28th January 2023

US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland will embark on an official visit to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Qatar from January 28 to February 3.

During her visit to India, Nuland will lead the US-India annual Foreign Office Consultations which cover the full range of bilateral, regional, and global issues and will also meet with young tech leaders, the US Department of State said in an official statement.
In Nepal, the top US official will engage with the new government on the broad agenda of the US partnership with Kathmandu.

The Under Secretary, on reaching Sri Lanka will mark the 75th anniversary of US-Sri Lanka relations and offer continued US support for Sri Lanka’s efforts to stabilize the economy, protect human rights, and promote reconciliation, the official release added.

Finally, the Under Secretary will discuss global issues in Qatar as part of the US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue.

“She will also meet with counterparts to discuss Qatar’s critical support for the relocation of Afghans with ties to the US, as well as our bilateral agreement to protect US interests in Afghanistan,” the US State Department press release added. (ANI)