‘India is an age-old friend of Sri Lanka.’ Discuss India's role in the recent crisis in Sri Lanka in the light of the preceding statement.
Approach · directive: “discuss”
What it asks · Discuss the 2022 crisis and India's response in the light of the long relationship, and assess the strategic and diplomatic dimensions.
It asks 3 things — answer each
- Set the context: the age-old friendship and the 2022 crisis
- Discuss India's role in the crisis: financial, humanitarian and diplomatic help
- Assess the role in the light of the friendship: strategic stakes and the limits of India's approach
Open with · India and Sri Lanka share ties more than 2,500 years old, carried by Buddhism through Ashoka's son Mahinda; the 2022 crisis of foreign-exchange shortage, suspended debt payments and shortages tested that friendship.
Cover
- Roots of the crisis: heavy foreign borrowing, tax cuts, the pandemic's blow to tourism and remittances, and the 2021 ban on fertiliser imports.
- Ties: the relationship is over 2,500 years old, through Buddhism and Ashoka's son Mahinda, and is now framed by Neighbourhood First and SAGAR.
- Aid in 2022: close to USD 4 billion: a fuel credit line, currency swap, food-and-medicine credit facility and deferred Asian Clearing Union payments.
- Humanitarian help: shipments of medicines, rice, milk powder and fuel, and a line of credit for urea fertiliser.
- Diplomacy: India backed coordinated action among creditors for Sri Lanka's debt relief.
- Strategic stakes: Indian Ocean security, China's presence at Hambantota and Colombo, refugee flows to Tamil Nadu, Tamil aspirations under the 13th Amendment, and fishermen disputes.
- Assessment: India earned goodwill as first responder, but must respect Sri Lankan sovereignty and public opinion and avoid appearing interventionist.
Close with · India's 2022 help turned an age-old friendship into a modern partnership under SAGAR; lasting ties now rest on economic integration, respect for sovereignty and attention to Tamil and fishermen concerns.
Add value (verified)
- India described its 2022 help as close to USD 4 billion, including a USD 500 fuel line of credit and a USD 400 million currency swap.Brief on India-Sri Lanka Bilateral Relations — Ministry of External Affairs ↗“India has provided multi-faceted assistance to Sri Lanka, close to USD 4 billion, during the economic crisis in 2022. These include USD 500 Line of Credit (LoC) for supply of petroleum products”
- MEA: the India–Sri Lanka relationship is over 2,500 years old, and Sri Lanka is central to India's Neighbourhood First policy and SAGAR (Security and growth for all in the region) vision.Brief on India-Sri Lanka Bilateral Relations - Ministry of External Affairs, 2024 ↗“relationship between two countries is more than 2,500 years old, sharing a strong civilizational and historical connect.”
- India's 2022 package also included a USD 1 billion credit facility, deferment of about USD 2 billion under the Asian Clearing Union and a USD 55 million credit line for urea.Brief on India-Sri Lanka Bilateral Relations - Ministry of External Affairs, 2024 ↗“USD 1 billion credit facility for supply of food items, medicines, fuel and industrial raw materials; Deferment of payment of liabilities under the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) mechanism by CBSL to RBI in 2022 (total deferment of approx. USD 2 billion); and USD 55 million LoC for procurement of Urea Fertilizer.”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2022, GS Paper II — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 218words · Minimalist IAS
India and Sri Lanka share ties more than 2,500 years old, carried by Buddhism through Ashoka's son Mahinda. In 2022 Sri Lanka ran out of foreign exchange, suspended debt payments and faced shortages of fuel, food and medicine.
Roots of the crisis
- Policy and shocks: heavy foreign borrowing, tax cuts, the pandemic's hit to tourism, and the 2021 fertiliser-import ban.
India's role: a friend in need
- Financial lifeline: close to USD 4 billion in 2022, including deferring about USD 2 billion due under the Asian Clearing Union.
| Instrument (2022) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fuel line of credit | USD 500 million |
| RBI currency swap | USD 400 million |
| Food, medicine, fuel credit | USD 1 billion |
- Humanitarian help: a USD 55 million urea credit line, and donated medicines and food.
- Diplomacy: India backed coordinated action among creditors for Sri Lanka's debt relief.
The friendship in a strategic light
- Policy frame: Sri Lanka is central to Neighbourhood First and SAGAR.
- Strategic stakes: Indian Ocean security, China at Hambantota and Colombo, refugee flows.
- Irritants: Tamil aspirations under the 13th Amendment and fishermen disputes.
- Limits: respect sovereignty and avoid seeming to seek concessions for aid.
India's 2022 help turned an age-old friendship into a modern partnership under SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region); lasting ties now rest on economic integration and respect for sovereignty.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 3 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
