Santosh Jha, the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, reiterated India’s dedication to respecting the choices of the Sri Lankan people and maintaining strong bilateral relations, regardless of the governing bodies in either country.
Jha made these remarks after meeting with the Mahanayake Theros in Kandy.
“It is the Sri Lankan people’s choice, and Sri Lanka will decide, and we will respect whatever the Sri Lankan people decide. We work with the government chosen by the Sri Lankan people. Our friendship is fundamentally with all of Sri Lanka, for all Sri Lankan people,” Jha stated.
Regarding the ambitious project of building a bridge connecting India and Sri Lanka, Jha clarified the timeline and expectations.
“This is something that will take time. It’s a long gestation period. It’s a very large project, so it’s not a matter of one or two years. I didn’t say two years. I can’t even say how long it will take. It may take five years, six years, or whatever. It depends on both sides working together. It will be done purely with mutual agreement and understanding. So there is no question of this moving faster; it will progress at its own pace,” he explained.
