Govt calls all-party meet on Sri Lanka crisis on Tuesday; Jaishankar to brief MPs

The Centre has called an all-party meeting on Tuesday on the Sri Lankan crisis which will be briefed by Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar.

India has maintained that it stands by the people of Sri Lanka.

The ministry of external affairs recently stated that it will continue to stand by the people of Sri Lanka and that it was in favour of a peaceful resolution of the ongoing crisis through democratic means and constitutional framework.

India has been helping Sri Lanka with fuel and ration supplies. Last week, the MEA said India had committed $3.8 billion for Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe declared a nationwide state of emergency with effect from Monday.

The island nation off the tip of southeast India needs about USD 5 billion in the next six months to cover the basic necessities for its 22 million people, who have been struggling with long queues, worsening shortages and power cuts.

India has been the principal source of foreign assistance to Sri Lanka this year.

Sri Lankan protesters have vowed to continue their struggle for a complete change of the system by abolishing the presidency, as the popular uprising, that ousted Gotabaya Rajapaksa as president, marked the 100th day on Sunday. The anti-government protest began on April 9 near the presidential office and has been continuing without a break.

Rajapaksa, 73, who fled to the Maldives on Wednesday and then landed in Singapore on Thursday, formally resigned on Friday, capping off a chaotic 72 hours in the crisis-hit nation that saw protesters storm many iconic buildings, including the President and the Prime Minister's residences.

(with agency inputs)