India likely to raise another $2 billion in aid for Sri Lanka as crisis mounts in island nation

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India is thinking of providing another $2 billion in financial support to Sri Lanka along with sending food and fuel to ensure that the crisis in the island nation can be contained.<br />
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In a report on Wednesday, news agency <em>Reuters </em>quoted unofficial sources as saying that despite the official announcement by Sri Lanka of <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/world-news/now-that-sri-lanka-has-defaulted-on-foreign-debt-what-happens-now-163825.html">not paying its foreign debt </a>of $51 billion, India is still thinking of financial aid and food support.<br />
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With the Sri Lankan financial and food crisis getting out of hand, <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/world-news/video-sri-lankans-mount-worldwide-protests-amid-social-economic-and-political-meltdown-163485.html">harassed people are on the streets</a> shouting for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign. Discussions in the parliament between the ruling party, its allies and the opposition have not resulted in zeroing in on solutions to the current crisis as nobody in the political system wants to inherit a problem that only poses almost insurmountable challenges.<br />
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Over the past couple of months, China has not responded to Colombo's frantic appeals for either a $2.5 billion financial aid or debt restructuring despite talks at the highest levels. India is, therefore, also looking at gaining ground with Sri Lanka and mending relations with its southern neighbour, where Chinese diplomacy and influence had soured relations between the two South Asian nations.<br />
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Meanwhile, in a bid to pacify the masses, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he is ready to speak with protestors. The country has also asked its expat population to remit foreign exchange so that it can import food and essential medicines.<br />
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Over the past one week, <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/world-news/sri-lanka-crisis-should-india-take-the-afghan-humanitarian-model-to-support-the-people-162058.html">India has supplied rice</a> just before the New Year celebrations of the Sinhala and Tamil communities. A week earlier India had sent one consignment each of petrol and diesel to the fuel-starved nation.</p>
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