Sri Lankan Lawmaker Warns Parliament on US Tariffs Impact on India, Praises Delhi’s Support During Crisis
Sri Lankan MP urges caution over US tariffs on India, highlighting India’s vital aid during Sri Lanka’s economic collapse.
A Sri Lankan parliamentarian has called on lawmakers not to underestimate the impact of the United States’ tariffs on India, emphasizing the critical support India provided to Sri Lanka during its severe economic crisis.
Harsha de Silva, speaking in Parliament, defended India’s stance against what he termed US President Donald Trump’s “unfair and selective” trade actions. Quoted by the Daily Mirror, de Silva said, “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.”
He warned that the situation was not over and noted both Sri Lanka and India had expected the tariffs to decrease to 15 percent, a figure which was not met.
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Sri Lanka faced a devastating financial collapse in 2022, marked by shortages of fuel, food, and medicine, alongside a depletion of foreign reserves that led to its first-ever sovereign debt default. India emerged as Sri Lanka’s largest supporter, extending over USD 4 billion through credit lines, currency swaps, deferred loan repayments, and humanitarian aid shipments.
In a recent move, President Trump increased tariffs on Indian goods by 25 percent, doubling the duty to 50 percent as a response to India’s continued imports of Russian oil.
De Silva’s remarks underline the deep economic ties between Colombo and New Delhi and caution against overlooking the broader implications of international trade policies.
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