Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins Srilankan Presidential Polls. Arun gives his takeaways with Pros & Cons for India-Srilanka ties.

The recently concluded Srilankan Presendential elections have raised the eye brows of many. As the Srilanka Podujana Peramuna presendial candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa the younger brother of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa won the Srilankan Presidential Elections 2019 raises the big question of his approach towards India and Indian originated Srilankan Tamils in Srilanka. Here I have analysed the track record and his recent stand on India-Srilanka relations.

Newly elected Srilankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Gotabaya Rajapaksa is known for his part in ending the Civil War in 2009 against the banned LTTE. He was the defense secretary at the time of his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa regime. He was acquised of the Genocide against Srilankan Tamils. And his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa is known for his Pro-Chinese approach. There were instances of Hambantota Port, a famous port been given to China for defense use. This was alarming to India at that time as China fielded its warships in Hambantota Port and threatned India.

After India had a regime change in India with Narendra Modi taking over as Prime Minister in 2014 he established a strong connect to the Malayaga Tamils by giving 60,000 homes to the war affected Tamils in Srilanka. And tamils in Srilanka trusted Narendra Modi for making political change in their country.

Soon in 2015 Presidential elections there was a wave against the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. It was a tight contest between him and the UNP president Ranil Wickremasighe. But with Modi played to key role in stopping Rajapaksa from coming back.

 As it was alledged by the Srilankan Politicians and Rajapaksa himself. It was believed that Ajit Doval called Sirisena, colleague of Rajapaksa and senior member of his party to dissent from the party and form an alliance with his foe Ranil Wickremasinghe. RAW agents and High commission in Srilanka made the two rivals to form government by making a common minimum programme and sharing of power with Sirisena taking the post of President and Wickremasinghe as Prime Minister.

Here are my takeaways from the analysis of the current existing Srilankan Polity.

Cons for India:

•  With the track record of being Pro-Chinese, there are fears of Chinese aggression and interfearence in the Srilankan politics and region.
•  China may get an oppurtunity to establish again in the Indian Ocean region.
• Fear of atrocities against the Linguistic Minorities of Srilankan Tamils, Indian Tamils.
•  Rejuvanation of Chain of Pearls by Srilanka being tilted towards China and its Dictator Xi Jinping.
• May increase the Chinese navy presence in Indian Ocean.
•  Increase in atrocities over Indian Fishermans. 

Pros for India:

• Gotobaya Rajapaksa has promised in the election campaign for the welfare of Srilankan Tamils and Indian Tamils in Srilanka.
•  Namal Rajapaksa, who is expected to play an important role and take up an important ministry in the Gotabaya Cabinet also son of Mahinda Rajapaksa promised welfare of tamils in Srilanka.
•  Gotabaya fought elections on the Internal Security and fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism in the Indian Ocean region.
• He’s exepected to chalk out new strategies to remove the islamic terrorism out of the region. This is very important for India as Srilanka is a gateway for Radical Islamic Terrorist to enter India via Tamilnadu.
• There was a rumour going around in Srilankan circles of rejuvanation of LTTE through the support from Pakistan’s ISI. This will be a hard game for LTTE terrorists as Gotabaya is a President. This ensures the terminating of Radical Separatistsfrom both Srilanka and India in Tamilnadu.

These are my takeaways from the recently concluded Srilankan Presendial Polls. There are few pros and cons for India. With an outstanding track record in Diplomatical Affairs of Modi government hope the cons being addressed and India-Srilanka ties may get a new beginning.