67th Republic Day of India celebrations in Sri Lanka

The High Commission of India and the Indian expatriate community in Sri Lanka celebrated the 67th Republic Day of India on Tuesday, 26 January, at India House in Colombo. 

High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha unfurled the Indian flag and inspected a Guard of Honour presented by a contingent of the Border Security Force. He read out excerpts from the Address to the Nation on the eve of the Republic Day by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee.

The High Commissioner stated that the President of India had highlighted that despite facing many challenges in 2015, India is poised to become the fastest growing large economy with a growth rate of 7.3%.

The President has noted that countries on our subcontinent have a historic opportunity to resolve the complex edges of geo-political inheritance with our neighbours through peaceful dialogue, and invest in mutual prosperity. The scourge of terrorism has to be eliminated, as there is no good or bad terrorism; it is pure evil. The President has also stated that the advent of the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ necessitates the creation of an eco-system that fosters critical thinking and makes teaching intellectually stimulating.

Speaking about the state of India-Sri Lanka relations, the High Commissioner highlighted that the previous year has been quite transformative for India-Sri Lanka relations and congratulated the Government of Sri Lanka on completion of one year in office. He noted that four high level bilateral visits within 90 days of the formation of a new Government in Sri Lanka last year heralded a new chapter in our relations. The momentum of these relations will be maintained by the forthcoming visit of External Affairs Minister of India, Sushma Swaraj, to Sri Lanka for the Joint Commission Meeting.

The High Commissioner stated that Sri Lanka continues to be a key part of India’s ‘neighbourhood first’ policy. An important element in strengthening bilateral ties with Sri Lanka will be deepening economic and commercial relations. He expressed the hope that Sri Lankan businesses will take advantage of their proximity to the fastest growing major economy in the world. He also referred to the proposal made by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, during his visit to India in September 2015 to conclude a bilateral Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement.

The High Commissioner noted the increasing air connectivity between the two countries, and the growing tourist arrivals from India in Sri Lanka. He recalled that, in pursuance of the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Sri Lanka, the e-Tourist Visa (eTV) scheme has been extended to Sri Lankan nationals from 14 April 2015 and eTV fee for Sri Lankan nationals was subsequently reduced.

The High Commissioner added that India’s total development assistance commitment to Sri Lanka is now around $ 2.6 billion, covering all areas of contemporary relevance. He stated that the Indian flagship housing project, which aims to construct 50,000 houses, is proceeding well with around 44,000 houses constructed till date. The third phase, to construct 4,000 houses in the Central and Uva Provinces will be launched very shortly.

The High Commissioner referred to the ongoing Festival of India in Sri Lanka, the theme of which is ‘Sangam’: which succinctly epitomises the confluence of cultures of India and Sri Lanka. In the field of defence, he alluded to the strong bilateral defence ties, the testimony of which was the visit to Colombo by India’s state-of-the-art aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya last week, its first foreign port of call since being inducted into the Indian Navy.

The High Commissioner concluded by affirming that India has an abiding interest in the security of Sri Lanka and remains committed to Sri Lanka’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

A brief cultural program organised by the Indian Cultural Centre followed, which included singing of patriotic songs and dance performances by the students of the Indian Cultural Centre. Subsequently, the High Commissioner of India and other officials of the High Commission paid their respects to the memory of fallen soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in a solemn ceremony at the IPKF memorial in Colombo.

To commemorate India´s 67th Republic Day, famous Indian sitar maestro, Purbayan Chatterjee, and his group, presented a concert titled ‘Stringstruck’ on 25 January at the Bishop’s College Auditorium, Colombo. Karu Jayasuriya, Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka was the Chief Guest at the function. The performance was extremely well received. 

The Consulates General of India in Jaffna and Hambantota and the Assistant High Commission of India in Kandy also celebrated the 67th Republic Day by organising flag hoisting ceremonies.

Pix by Lasantha Kumara