India doing all to help Sri Lanka: India Defence minister

Indian Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that India is doing all it can to help Sri Lanka while highlighting that the rapid growth of Bangladesh should act as a model for countries across the globe.

Speaking at GRSE Kolkata, on the occasion of a warship launch, the defence minister said that India wants healthy relations with its neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, reports The Statesman.

He assured India is doing everything to help Sri Lanka. "The country is going through a tough situation and India is helping as much as it can." He added that despite India being also affected during the COVID pandemic and by the Ukraine conflict, it has helped countries such as Nepal and Maldives with medicines and essential items.

The Union minister clarified: "If India is increasing its military strength then it is doing so not only for itself but also to protect its neighbouring countries in the region." The minister said that recent tensions in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and now Ukraine, have directly or indirectly, had an adverse impact on every country but for stability, economic progress and development, improvements in rule-based freedom of navigation and security of sea lanes have helped.

Rajnath Singh said that India appreciates the rapid growth of its neighbour, Bangladesh. "The socio-economic model of Bangladesh can be followed by countries across the globe." Singh, without mentioning Pakistan, said: "One of our neighbours, which is grappling with poverty and instability, and occasionally attempting to destabilize India, should learn from Bangladesh."