Monday, Jun 01: SINGAPORE: The Sri Lankan government looks upon India as "an important partner" in shaping the island nation’s future following the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Indicating this, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told The Hindu on Sunday that "India has been always a part of the home-grown [political] process" in his country. He did not, however, specify any role that India could perhaps play in helping Sri Lanka formulate or fast-forward its post-LTTE initiatives.

New Delhi "has respected the local formulation of proposals" in Sri Lanka. Its13th Constitutional Amendment relating to devolution of powers "arose from the Indo-Lanka accord," but the legislation was effected through "a home-grown process." And, a new formula of "a 13th Amendment-Plus," now "in the designing stage," could make the devolution provisions more "secure."

Mr. Bogollagama said the current exercise could even lead to "a wider regional representation at the Centre" through a "bicameral approach." He did not, however, amplify the scope of the presidential prerogative in formulating such a policy.

On the economic front, he said "there is more space now to extend [Sri Lanka’s] development agenda" in the context of the existing free trade agreement with India.

On the relative roles, if any, for China and Pakistan in Sri Lanka’s political and development agenda, Mr. Bogollagama said: "A credit line has been offered by the Chinese government [for] a commercial port. It is being built by Chinese contractors. And, beyond that, there is nothing else [such as an alleged naval facility for China]. … Generally speaking, our defence requirement and procurement are well-known to India. So, I need not come into the public domain to broadcast as to how we are handling our defence procurements."