New Delhi, Dec. 30: Brinkmanship has found an unlikely play ground amid the debris left behind by the tsunami.

In Sri Lanka, where India is the main player in rescue and relief operations, its efforts have so far been either ignored or played down by the local media.

The government in Colombo, in its press statement, has named India as the first country to help it out in its crisis. However, the local media has decided to highlight the Rs 10 crore donated by Pakistan but glossed over the Indian contribution of Rs 100 crore.

In neighbouring Maldives, where India has deployed several naval ships and aircraft and also donated Rs 5 crore, the Male government was initially reluctant to accept help from Pakistan which, too, had expressed its willingness to press two of its naval ships in the relief work.

Delhi, which has agreed to be part of a four-country core group to co-ordinate relief work in Asia after a conversation last night between President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has politely turned down all financial or other help from outside for the tsunami-affected areas of the country. The other members of the group are Japan and Australia.

Foreign secretary Shyam Saran informed senior officials of the three other countries today about the relief and rescue efforts launched by India for Sri Lanka and Maldives, including deployment of naval ships and aircraft.

However, Saran made it clear that India was ?confident? of dealing with the challenges with its own resources. He felt international relief, therefore, could be directed where it was most urgently required. ?We have conveyed to them that we have mobilised all our resources to deal with the situation,? Saran said.

?At present, there is probably no requirement for assistance. If it is there, we will talk to them,? the foreign secretary said soon after delivering the keynote address at a discussion in Delhi on a United Nations report about the restructuring of the world body. India is an aspirant for a permanent seat in the Security Council if it is expanded.

India has decided to extend its relief operations to Indonesia and despatched INS Nirupak to Sumatra tonight with emergency material.