Not sending troops to Sri Lanka, India says

The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka today refuted speculative Sri Lankan media reports about India sending its troops to Colombo, saying India is fully supportive of Sri Lanka's democracy, stability and economic recovery.

The High Commission of India "would like to categorically deny speculative reports in sections of media and social media about #India sending her troops to Sri Lanka. These reports and such views are also not in keeping with the position of the Government of India," the Indian mission tweeted.

The categorical denial by the high commission came a day after it also dismissed as "fake and blatantly false" Sri Lankan social media speculation that former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family members have fled to India, our New Delhi correspondent reports.

Wednesday's Twitter comments by the high commission were made a day after the External Affairs Ministry broke its silence on the developments in Sri Lanka and said, "India will always be guided by the best interests of the people of Sri Lanka expressed through democratic processes."

"As a close neighbour of Sri Lanka, with historical ties, India is fully supportive of its democracy, stability and economic recovery," MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi said.

He also took the occasion to recall India's economic aid to Sri Lanka to help the island nation tide over its worst financial crisis and placed the assistance in the context of India's neighbourhood first policy.

India is also worried over the exodus of Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka into the southern state of Tamil Nadu following the economic crisis. A good number of refugees have already made their way into Tamil Nadu.