Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka last week capped one of Indian diplomacy’s most standout accomplishments in recent years: cultivating a mature relationship with a neighbour even though the odds, on paper, appeared stacked against New Delhi. Now India must build on those gains and apply those lessons to other ties in South Asia where New Delhi’s bonds with important neighbours are fraying. Sri Lanka’s president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who accompanied Mr Modi to Anuradhapura after hosting him in Colombo, has spent much of his political career being described as a Marxist leader. His party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, viewed communist China as a natural ally for decades and India — and its relations with Sri Lankan Tamils — with deep suspicion. Yet, as he plotted his rise to power, New Delhi was quick to spot that the political winds in Sri Lanka were blowing in his favour. India invited and hosted him months before last year’s election, building an early bridge with Mr Dissanayake. Since his electoral victory, Mr Dissanayake has visited India and has committed to strengthening bilateral ties.
That commitment was reinforced during Mr Modi’s recent visit. The two countries signed a first-of-its kind defence agreement aimed at fostering greater cooperation on security matters. Separately, Mr Dissanayake assured India — publicly — that his government would keep New Delhi’s security sensitivities in mind while making major policy decisions. That is an important promise from Sri Lanka. India has for years feared Beijing’s growing strategic influence over its southern neighbour, especially in the form of Chinese naval ships making unscheduled visits to Sri Lankan ports. However, New Delhi must now manage its expectations by also demonstrating sensitivity towards Sri Lanka’s reality: Mr Dissanayake, who has also visited China since taking office, needs Beijing’s economic support if he is to pull away his debt-ridden country from its economic crisis. India must not demand a zero-sum approach from Colombo even while holding Mr Dissanayake to his word on New Delhi’s security concerns. For there is more at stake here than even the immensely important Sri Lanka-India relationship. If New Delhi’s approach with Mr Dissanayake works, it could serve as a valuable example for India to follow with other neighbours — whether Bangladesh or Nepal. This can help India set aside past misgivings and create a partnership based on mutual respect and dignity with its neighbours.