Sunday Times 2
India-Sri Lanka relations for a shared and secure future
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India's High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu delivering the Lalith Athulathmudali Oration. With him on the headtable were Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake and Trustee Siri Fernando
Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu says it is heartening to note that India and Sri Lanka have strong cooperation in the fields of defence and security.
“We have been sharing our equipment and expertise with Sri Lanka; we are also ready to do more. We have conducted joint missions in the recent past to apprehend vessels carrying drugs. Discussions are underway to enhance cyber-security cooperation,” the High Commissioner said, delivering the Lalith Athulathmudali Commemorative Freedom Speech at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. Excerpts of the speech:
I am happy to be here this evening to deliver the Lalith Athulathmudali Commemorative Freedom Speech. I thank the organisers, Lalith Athulathmudali Foundation, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the Institute for Democracy and Leadership, and it is a great honour and a privilege. We have had to postpone this oration in the past, because of scheduling issues. And finally, we chose November 26. And 26/11 is significant in more ways than one.
Today is the 83rd birth anniversary of Hon. Lalith Athulathmudali, who was an eminent statesman and a visionary and a proud son of Sri Lanka. As you are all aware, though he had held several ministerial portfolios, he was particularly remembered as Minister of National Security and Deputy Minister of Defence.
My friends, 26th November or 26/11, as it is called, is also unfortunately the 11th anniversary of the cowardly terror attacks in Mumbai. More than a decade has gone by; however, the pain and suffering caused by terrorist attacks are hard to heal. Let me take a moment to remember all those victims of terror attacks not just in India but also in Sri Lanka and worldwide. May the departed souls rest in peace. May God give strength to the bereaved families to bear the agony.
The importance of 26 November does not end here. 26/11 is also celebrated as Constitution Day in India. It was on 26 November 1949 that the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India. The Constitution remains supreme in India and this guiding light has showed us the path towards preserving democracy pluralism and the rule of law over the past seven decades.
The oration is timely as the recently concluded Presidential elections were indeed ‘a festival of democracy’ in which people spoke and spoke clearly. The decisive mandate given by the people of Sri Lanka is a reflection of the power of the people which is supreme in any democracy. You would remember that it was only few months ago that the people of India chose PM Narendra Modi as their leader making him not only the leader of largest democracy in the world but also a leader with the largest popular mandate in the world.
Our External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar was the first foreign dignitary to call on the new President of Sri Lanka His Excellency President Rajapaksa, and brought with him warm wishes from PM Modi. His Excellency Rajapaksa will also travel to India later this week making India the destination for his first overseas visit. As you all remember, PM Modi was the first international leader to visit Sri Lanka after the Easter attacks. These high-level exchanges reflect the special nature of India-Sri Lanka ties. These are not governed by geography alone. Of course we are neighbours. But there is more to it. Our bonds of friendship are natural mutual spiritual and eternal.
Given this background, I will speak to you on a topic which may be of interest to everyone in this room – how can we shape a world that is safe, secure and prosperous for us and our children? These are of course my thoughts and I will focus on “India-Sri Lanka relations for a shared and secure future”.
Friends, first and foremost, national security and defence are like air. Without it you cannot survive. But when you have it you take it for granted. Like air, security cannot be compartmentalised. It is all-pervasive. It is a global common.
National security goes beyond physical securing of one’s own borders. If the region and the world are in turmoil you will agree with me we cannot remain safe. In this era of internet and cyberspace actual location of individuals hardly matters. Ideas and ideologies travel at the click of a mouse beyond borders on a real time basis.
Call it by any numerals 9/11 or 26/11 or 21/4, these terror attacks all have one thing in common: it is not just against a particular country. These are attacks against humanity. The Jihadi terror ideology is a threat not just to India or to Sri Lanka. It is a threat to the entire world. We need to keep those forces which perpetrate the Jihadi ideology at bay. We need to be cautious. As the Biblical verse goes “So then let us not be like others who are asleep but let us be awake and sober.”
Watch out for the forces that nurture radicalisation. Watch out for those forces which provide them with finances and technology. Watch out for those forces which say there is good terror and bad terror. Watch out for those forces which justify the unjustifiable.
Isolate those Jihadi forces but never stereotype or profile communities. Love and tolerance can only exist in the sunshine of trust and togetherness. It was Mahatma Gandhi who said “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty the ocean does not become dirty.”
Given that terrorism and radicalism are collective threats, we need to act collectively to ensure a safer planet.
It is heartening to note that India and Sri Lanka have strong cooperation in the fields of defence and security. We have been sharing our equipment and expertise with Sri Lanka; we are also ready to do more. We have conducted joint missions in the recent past to apprehend vessels carrying drugs. Discussions are underway to enhance cyber-security cooperation.
You will be surprised that Sri Lanka gets the largest share of our military training slots. In fact more than 50% of all foreign military training slots go to Sri Lanka. This means the rest of the world together gets only less than 50%. Thousands of Sri Lankan military personnel have been trained in India over the last several decades. When I say you are special for us I mean it in every sense.
As Prime Minister Modi has said we seek a future for Indian Ocean that lives up to the name of SAGAR — Security and Growth for All in the Region. India will continue to be a net provider of security in the Indian Ocean Region. We have been always the First Responder in Humanitarian Assistance in the Region. Be it floods landslides droughts or fuel crisis in Sri Lanka India was there to assist. You can count on our support whenever you need us. We are confident that Sri Lanka would respond with equal swiftness when we need help.
It was Swami Vivekananda who described the world as a “gymnasium” where nations come to make themselves strong. International relations are at its core and about pursuit of national interests. However, it is not a narrow concept or a restrictive idea. It is not just pure selfishness. Growing together and sharing benefits are important for shaping a world order which is conducive for everyone’s progress.
Friends, in this context let me briefly touch upon our development partnership. All our projects in Sri Lanka have a direct impact on the lives of the common people. Whether it is the restoration of railway lines connecting North to South; or the roll out of Emergency Ambulance Service all across Sri Lanka; or providing clean drinking water to around 65000 families in Dambulla or providing livelihood support to as many as 70,000 people from fishing and farming communities in Hambantota; or construction of the largest University Auditorium in Sri Lanka in University of Ruhuna – all our projects have made a difference to the lives of people in Sri Lanka.
Where do we go from here? I understand the proclivity of some to go back to the past while discussing the present or future. Falling back on the past is unlikely to help with the future. You and I cannot change the past; however, we can change the present and shape the future.
It was the Greek philosopher Heraclitus who said that the change is the only constant in life. Over the years Sri Lanka has changed, India has changed, the world around has changed. We should not remain prisoners of the past; we need to analyse things as they are today and see how we can together shape a better world for our people.
One of the legacies of Hon. Lalith Athulathmudali is also the setting up of Mahapola scholarship for children. Education is an investment in our own future. When I see the youth of today I am filled with a deep sense of optimism. Both India and Sri Lanka are ancient civilisations but also nations of youth. You will be amazed to note that the average age in India today is 28 years. In Sri Lanka it is 33 years. Countries of substantial young population cannot afford to dream small. India and Sri Lanka have to dream big.
India is home to world’s third-largest scientific and technical manpower; and third largest tech-based start-up hub. We will be sending three Indians to space. India will soon become the second largest market for robotic surgery in the world. The vaccines developed by Indian scientists against Rotavirus and Hepatitis B have been trendsetters and have helped reduce the prices of these vaccines considerably around the globe. While we are proud of our achievements at the same time we are conscious of the fact that we still have a lot more to do.
Similarly, Sri Lanka also is known for its spirit of innovation. India and Sri Lanka have a lot to offer to each other and to the world. Our success will be determined not by our potential but by transforming the potential into reality. This can be achieved only if there is more connectivity more travel more tourist inflows, more investments in both directions. To me disconnectedness is not a choice; it is a given. And to me disconnectedness is not a sign of weakness; it is a weapon of strength.
As Lord Buddha said “Do not dwell in the past do not dream of the future concentrate the mind on the present moment.”