Having announced a Rs 500-crore aid package for Sri Lanka in the Budget, India on Thursday said it was willing to “do more” and would provide “every possible assistance” in the task of rehabilitation, resettlement and reconstruction. New Delhi also said the 13th amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution, which deals with devolution of powers to the Tamil areas, is an “article of faith” to India.

“India will provide every possible assistance in the task of rehabilitation, resettlement and reconstruction... The government has earmarked Rs 500 crore for this purpose and we are willing to do more,” External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told Parliament.

Responding to a suggestion that he himself visit some of the refugee camps for Tamils in Sri Lanka, he said: “Our High Commissioner has visited some of these camps. He has sent us his impressions from his visits and the Government of India will be guided by those.”

“Amendment 13 is an article of faith for us. In fact, Sri Lanka has promised to go beyond this, some are calling it 13+,” the minister said, referring to the Sri Lankan government’s reference to 13th Amendment-plus.

Krishna termed the death of several LTTE leaders, including that of Velupillai Prabhakaran, a “significant conclusion” to the military conflict in northern Sri Lanka.

Maintaining that the end of military operations in northern and eastern Sri Lanka was an opportunity to rebuild the country after the ravages of conflict, he said Lanka had assured that most of the three lakh internally displaced would be “resettled” in 180 days.

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