Despite the recent hype generated over a bigger Indian role being played in Sri Lanka’s almost faltered peace process, the government will not extend a formal invitation to India urging it to play a more pivotal role in the island’s stagnant peace process.
The Sri Lankan government’s Defence spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told The Nation that India already was playing a ‘substantial role’ and there was no necessity to extend a fresh invitation.

Norway’s special peace envoy, Jan Hansson Bauer last week urged India to play a more crucial role in the island’s conflict, by mediating between the government and the LTTE in an attempt to put an end to the more than two decades long ethnic conflict.

Rambukwella went on to elaborate that relationship between India and Sri Lanka dates back to several decades and both nations have had cordial relationships and supported each other on vital issues..

“India is already playing an excellent role as observer to the process. We are not going to make a fresh invitation to them asking them to get more involved in the process because they are already assisting us at the maximum level,” the spokesman said.

He went on to emphasise that India had its own political commitments and some members of the international community were trying to create unnecessary issues between Sri Lanka and India for petty gains.

“India is very much in the peace process, and that has not changed, despite these fresh statements from the Norwegians,” he added.