External affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Friday urged Sri Lanka to fully implement the 13th Amendment and conduct provincial elections at the earliest, echoing a long-standing demand of Sri Lankan Tamils and the political spectrum of Tamil Nadu.

The 13th Amendment provides for the devolution of power to the provincial councils. But this has remained contentious as a dominant section of the Sinhalese sees it as an imposition by India while many of the Tamils find it a half measure. But others contend that it is a starting point.

Eager to press the advantage that India appears to have earned in Sri Lanka for being the first responder when the country was going through an economic crisis last year and again this week in backing Colombo’s debt restructuring programme by conveying financial assurances to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Jaishankar made a strong pitch for full implementation of the 13th Amendment.

Stating that India has always supported both the political and economic stability of Sri Lanka, Jaishankar told the media in Colombo that Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe had briefed him on the question of political devolution and his thinking.

“I shared with him our considered view that the full implementation of the 13th Amendment and early conduct of provincial elections are critical in this regard. Durable efforts towards reconciliation are in the interests of all sections in Sri Lanka. I also spoke of the need to pay special attention to the requirements of the Indian-origin Tamil community.’’

Ahead of Jaishankar’s visit to Colombo, Wickremesinghe had on Sunday said that his government would fully implement the 13th Amendment enacted in 1987 as a follow-up to the India-Sri Lanka Accord signed earlier that year by the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President J.R. Jayawardane.

At the National Thai Pongal Festival in Jaffna, Wickremesinghe had said that the government would come out with a statement on measures for reconciliation in February after discussing the issue with political leaders.

Speaking about Colombo’s financial woes, Jaishankar said: “My primary purpose of coming to Colombo at this time is to express India’s solidarity with Sri Lanka during these difficult moments…. Last year, India extended about $4 billion in terms of credits and rollovers to help Sri Lanka get through an economic crisis. For us, it was an issue of Neighbourhood First and not leaving a partner to fend for themselves.

“This year, in a developing situation that was beginning to cause concern, the same sentiment reasserted itself. We felt strongly that Sri Lanka’s creditors must take proactive steps to facilitate its recovery. India decided not to wait on others but to do what we believe is right. We extended financing assurances to the IMF to clear the way for Sri Lanka to move forward. Our expectation is that this will not only strengthen Sri Lanka’s position but ensure that all bilateral creditors are dealt with equally.’’

Earlier, Sri Lankan foreign minister Ali Sabry confirmed that India was the first country to officially back Colombo’s debt restructuring programme by conveying financial assurances to the IMF.

Earlier this week, the Union finance ministry wrote to the IMF that it is committed to helping the island nation with financing/debt relief.

As part of its negotiations with Sri Lanka for an IMF-assisted recovery, the international financial agency requires such assurances from Sri Lanka’s creditors.