Former Finance Minister Ali Sabry has credited Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with changing the tables during a crucial meeting with International Monetary Fund (IMF) representatives on Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. 

Sharing his views on Impactstories_podcast, Ali Sabry said that during his tenure as Finance Minister, he was tasked with negotiating with the IMF leadership with regard to Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. 

“When I went to Washington, I had a meeting with the regional directors and they were very negative about Sri Lanka. They said 16 times this has happened. I was disappointed. You know, for the first time we are trying to tell different things. They were not willing to listen. I thought they lacked empathy,” he said.

Ali Sabry revealed that he was supposed to meet IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva along with IMF Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath at 03.00 pm, before which he met Indian Finance MInister Nirmala Sitharaman. 

“In between this meeting something happened. I had lunch with Nirmala Sitharaman. She asked me, Minister, how did the meeting go? I said not that great. I said they were kind of reluctant and had a lot of issues. She said don’t worry, I will meet Kristalina Georgieva before you. I will put a word,” he said. 

Ali Sabry went on to note that when he went in for the meeting with the IMF Leadership, the tone had completely changed and was in favour of Sri Lanka.

“When I went for the meeting with the IMF Managing Director, which is one of the most crucial meetings for me, the tone, the approach, the environment, everything had changed. Kristalina Georgieva told me that she had just finished a meeting with Nirmala Sitharaman, and 70-80% of the meeting was not about India, but Sri Lanka, he said. 

Ali Sabry added that this became the foundation of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.

Watch : https://www.instagram.com/reels/DcbSBMpOtcl/ (Newswire)

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Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa today met Indian Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, in New Delhi, stating Sri Lanka must leverage its position and realise its full potential. 

Taking to ‘X’, MP Sajith Premadasa said during the meeting, Nirmala Sitharaman spoke with great warmth about SriLanka, calling the nation “blessed with every resource and human talent.” 

“Her words are a reminder that it’s up to us to leverage our position and realise our full potential. Grateful for her kind words and continued support to Sri Lanka,” he added.

The meeting took place during Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s ongoing official visit to India. (Newswire)

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India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived in Sri Lanka today (Nov 01) on a three-day official visit.

According to the Indian government, during her visit, Minister Sitharaman will deliver the Keynote Address as the Guest of Honour at the ‘NAAM 200’ organised by the Sri Lankan government to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the arrival of India-origin Tamils (IOTs) to Sri Lanka, which will be held tomorrow (Nov 02) at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo.

The Indian finance minister will also give the keynote address at the India Sri Lanka Business Summit themed ‘Enhancing Connectivity: Partnering for Prosperity’. It is jointly organized by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the Indo-Lanka Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and will be held in Colombo tomorrow.

As part of the official visit, Minister Sitharaman will engage in bilateral discussions with President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

She will witness the exchange of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Solar Electrification of Religious Places in Sri Lanka wherein India will allocate INR 82.40 crores out of the Indian government grant assistance of INR 107.47 crores earmarked for the promotion of Buddhist ties.

Minister Sitharaman will also inaugurate SBI Branches at Trincomalee and Jaffna on Thursday (Nov 02) and Friday (Nov 03), respectively.

She will visit Sri Dalada Maligawa (The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) in Kandy, Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, Thirukoneswaram Temple in Trincomalee and Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in Jaffna during her visit to Sri Lanka.

Besides the above engagements, Minister Sitharaman is also slated to visit Lanka IOC Oil Tank Farms, Jaffna Cultural Centre and Jaffna Public Library during her visit. (NewsWire/ With inputs from Indian media)

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