‘Don’t mock India, they saved us’: Sri Lankan MP backs India

As the United States imposed a steep 50% tariff on Indian goods, Sri Lanka has come out in support of its neighbour. In a parliamentary debate on the growing India–US trade tensions, Colombo District MP Harsha de Silva reminded critics of India’s generosity during Sri Lanka’s darkest economic days.

“Don’t laugh at India. Don’t mock them when they are down because when we were down, they were the only ones to lend us a hand,” de Silva said. “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings. We witnessed you laughing. Don’t laugh. India expected the tariffs to come down to 15%, and so did we.”

US President Donald Trump last week slapped an additional 25 per cent tariff, raising the total duties to 50 per cent on goods coming from India, as a penalty for New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil.

De Silva, a senior member of Sri Lanka’s Samagi Jana Balawegaya party and former minister for economic reforms, highlighted India’s pivotal role in stabilising Sri Lanka during its financial crisis. India handed over 3.3 tonnes of medical supplies to the island’s ambulance service, a lifeline launched with Indian support in 2016.

Beyond immediate aid, India extended nearly USD 5 billion in credit lines, grants, and loans. As per reports, this included a USD 400 million currency swap through the Reserve Bank of India, deferral of USD 500 million in trade liabilities, and USD 3.1 billion in credit facilities for essential imports such as food, fuel, and medicines.

India’s assistance was not limited to financial help. It also delivered vital goods, including petroleum products, locomotives, and buses, and funded grant projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars. These projects have supported infrastructure upgrades, digital identity initiatives, solar electrification, and housing for plantation workers.

By converting some loans into grants, reducing interest rates, and offering concessional credit lines, India helped ease Sri Lanka’s debt burden. This, in turn, bolstered Colombo’s negotiations with the IMF and creditors, helping the country avoid a deeper sovereign default.