"India stands with Sri Lankan people": External Affairs Ministry

New Delhi: On the ongoing crisis in Sri Lanka, India said on Sunday that it stands with the Sri Lankan people in realising their aspirations for prosperity and progress, PTI reported.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that India is closely monitoring the developments in Sri Lanka and added that India is aware that the island country and its people are facing many challenges at present.

"We are aware of the many challenges Sri Lanka and its people have been facing, and we have stood with the Sri Lankan people as they have tried to overcome this difficult period," Bagchi said.

"India stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realise their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means and values, established institutions and constitutional framework," he said.

"In pursuance of the central place that Sri Lanka occupies in our Neighbourhood First policy, India has extended this year itself an unprecedented support of over USD 3.8 billion for ameliorating the serious economic situation in Sri Lanka," Bagchi added.

Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had offered to resign on Saturday, following angry protesters storming his official residence as well as putting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's private residence on fire.

Meanwhile, United States Secretary of the State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent restrictions the former imposed on the latter's grain exports might have contributed to Sri Lanka's conflict. He also expressed his concern that the export lock could incite more crises.