THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India has been providing assistance to Sri Lanka and is monitoring the developments in the island nation, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. “We have been supportive of Sri Lanka, are trying to help, and have always been helpful”, Jaishankar said.

“We have responded with urgency to government of Sri Lanka’s request for assistance for overcoming hardships. They are working through their problem; we will see what happens. There is no refugee crisis right now”, he said. In the last two months, Indian government has donated more than 25 tons of drugs and medical supplies valued at close to SLR 370 million to Sri Lanka. In addition, India has also provided economic assistance of around 3.5 billion US dollars and humanitarian supplies such as rice, milk powder and kerosene. The efforts are line with India’s Neighbourhood First Policy.

Amid widespread protests, videos of the protesters storming the official presidential residence, cooking in the kitchen, swimming in the pool and exercising in the gym, had surfaced on social media, last day. About millions of currency notes found from the president’s residence, were handed over to the security forces by the protesters.