India tells IMF it 'supports' Sri Lanka debt plan

India tells IMF it 'strongly supports' Sri Lanka's debt restructuring plan

by Zulfick Farzan 18-01-2023 | 7:29 PM

COLOMBO (News 1st) - India has told the International Monetary Fund that it confirms its strong support for Sri Lanka's prospective EFF-supported program.

According to a letter seen by News 1st from Indian authorities to IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva, India had noted it will commit to supporting Sri Lanka with financing/ debt relief consistent with restoring Sri Lanka's public debt sustainability under the IMF -supported program and ensuring that the program is fully financed as projected by IMF staff.

"In this context, we commit to continuing negotiations with the Sri Lankan government along with the Paris Club on a medium-to-long term debt treatment through maturity extension and interest rate reduction or any other financial operations that would deliver similar financing/ debt relief," noted the letter.

According to this letter seen by News 1st, India says that the financing/ debt relief provided by Export-Import Bank of India will be consistent with restoring debt sustainability under the IMF-supported program.

"We look forward to continuing cordial and in-depth discussions with the Sri Lankan authorities, IMF and the Paris Club with a view to finalizing the specifics of this financingj debt relief in the coming weeks," the letter added. 

However, it had noted that the Sri Lankan authorities are expected to seek equitable debt treatments from all commercial creditors and other official bilateral creditors, as well as adequate financing contributions from the multilateral development banks. 

Sri Lanka requires the backing of China and India - its biggest bilateral lenders - to reach a final agreement with the IMF on the $2.9 billion loan that is essential to help the country emerge from its worst financial crisis in seven decades.