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\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLeaving over 250 dead, the brutal Easter Sunday attacks exposed critical failings in Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s security apparatus. Apparently inspired by ISIS, the perpetrators were able to launch multiple attacks despite numerous warnings from Indian intelligence that they were imminent. These cautions were overlooked as a result of a deterioration in the working relationship between Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s previous president, Mathripala Sirisena, and then-prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, as well as a sense of complacency in Colombo following the end of Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s civil war in 2009.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSeeking to learn from the lessons of the past, countering terrorism has become an increasing area of focus for the bilateral relationship between India and Sri Lanka, and particularly since the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s new president in mid-November. His first official trip abroad was to India in late November and it was during this visit that India\u0026rsquo;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/32126/Translation_of_Press_Statement_by_Prime_Minister_during_State_Visit_of_President_of_Sri_Lanka_to_India\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026lsquo;special\u0026rsquo; line of credit of US$50 million\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to enhance Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s ability to counter terrorism, including the capabilities of its intelligence agencies. This is the first time that India has extended a credit line to another country for the express purpose of countering terrorism; previous lines of credit have funded infrastructure projects and defence equipment procurements.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNew Delhi cannot match the level of spending offered by Beijing for infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka \u0026ndash; these include \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://www.businessinsider.com/sri-lanka-port-city-dubai-2018-9?r=US\u0026amp;IR=T\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUS$1.4 billion in backing for the ambitious Colombo Port City project\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u0026ndash; but it clearly views security cooperation, and in particular counter-terrorism cooperation, as an area in which it does have scope to strengthen relations with the new Rajapaksa government. India\u0026rsquo;s relations with Sri Lanka, which were turbulent under the Sirisena government, had earlier deteriorated during the previous government \u0026ndash; led by Gotabaya\u0026rsquo;s brother Mahinda Rajapaksa \u0026ndash; whose \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eten-year term as president from 2005 to 2015 had seen China increase its investments in Sri Lanka, notably through infrastructure projects.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRepresenting the Sri Lanka People\u0026rsquo;s Front, Gotabaya Rajapaksa defeated his main challenger Sajith Premadasa \u0026ndash; a minister in the previous coalition government \u0026ndash; by 52% to 42%. A strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the unpopular sitting government over Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s slowing economy and emphasised\u0026nbsp; by anger over its failures in preventing the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, significantly contributed to Gotabaya\u0026rsquo;s election victory. Following his win, Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed his brother Mahinda as Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s new prime minister.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJoint national-security focus\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRiding the wave of popular anger over the Easter Sunday attacks, national-security issues took on a new level of importance in Gotabaya Rajapaksa\u0026rsquo;s election campaign, which included a pledge to build stronger links with foreign intelligence agencies.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor Modi\u0026rsquo;s government, meanwhile, strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation with Sri Lanka is also a priority, as both countries face a growing threat of ISIS-inspired violence. This was emphasised by the arrest in late November of two individuals who were plotting to carry out \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://nia.gov.in/writereaddata/Portal/PressReleaseNew/776_1_PR07122019.pdf\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eattacks in the southern Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Over 100 Indians are believed to have travelled to Syria to join ISIS.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlongside enhancing cooperation between the country\u0026rsquo;s intelligence agencies, India\u0026rsquo;s credit line will primarily be used to provide further training to the Sri Lankan police on countering terrorism, including \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/india-sri-lanka-counter-terrorism-warfare-army-chief-senanayake-1522828-2019-05-11\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebomb disposal\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e assistance. The credit line will build upon the counter-terrorism \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/32126/Translation_of_Press_Statement_by_Prime_Minister_during_State_Visit_of_President_of_Sri_Lanka_to_India\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003etraining\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e that Sri Lankan police officers are already receiving in Indian institutions.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIndia\u0026rsquo;s assistance, which is set to include counter-radicalisation training, will be vital for the island nation. Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s institutions are now transitioning from combatting a national threat \u0026ndash; namely the 26-year civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam\u0026ndash; to a new transnational threat in the form of religious extremism.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe failures of Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s institutions in preventing the Easter Sunday attacks highlight a need for these institutions to avoid the complacency that followed the end of the civil war, and to continue to adapt to fight this new transnational threat. Gotabaya Rajapaksa\u0026rsquo;s prioritisation of national security and of developing Sri Lankan security institutions \u0026ndash; including through a pledge to revamp Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s intelligence services \u0026ndash; should help to overcome the institutional failures exposed by the Easter Sunday attacks.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDelivering tangible results\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs a first step, India will need to ensure that Sri Lanka effectively implements its counter-terrorism-focused credit line, as India\u0026rsquo;s infrastructure-focused credit lines to Sri Lanka have faced delays in implementation. This could take place by increasing the number of training opportunities available to Sri Lankan police officers within Indian institutions.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIndia\u0026rsquo;s previous counter-terrorism dialogue with Sri Lanka has taken place by means of \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://hcicolombo.gov.in/press?id=eyJpdiI6IklrMDNcL3pySFwvN0FSVSsyY1wvR0lCYUE9PSIsInZhbHVlIjoiM0VVdVBHRzhLZk13YkpQUEpPelhMdz09IiwibWFjIjoiN2VlMGZiZWMzMDgzNjdiZDEwZjc1MmE1YmJlOWJlYTY3ZTY2YTEzYTFlNDg2NmVhZDZlMGU1ZjQxYWFiNmQ1MSJ9\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eirregular meetings\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e at the level of the countries\u0026rsquo; national security advisers. Holding regular meetings between the security leaderships of the two countries will be crucial to ensure effective cooperation on countering terrorism. Establishing a formal bilateral India\u0026ndash;Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on Countering Terrorism, to build upon their engagement at \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://bimstec.org/?event=eighth-meeting-of-the-bimstec-joint-working-group-on-counter-terrorism-and-transnational-crime\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003emultilateral meetings\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, will provide a further opportunity for India to share best practices and help strengthen Sri Lanka\u0026rsquo;s counter-terrorism capabilities.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\u0022margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;\u0022\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith a continuing high threat of terrorist attacks in both countries, the memory of the Easter Sunday attacks will surely serve as an important reminder to both governments of the urgent nature of their work.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","className":"richtext reading--content font-secondary"}), document.getElementById("react_81IkNI6Iy0ydnY22KYUplg"))});
Following the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks carried out in Sri Lanka in the spring of 2019, counter-terrorism has become a key area of the bilateral relationship between India and Sri Lanka, writes Viraj Solanki.
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