Colombo [Sri Lanka], Aug 24 (ANI): Sri Lanka's Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage on Monday said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa believes in India first policy along with pursuing a neutral foreign policy.

"President has stated that in terms of strategic security we will follow India first policy because we can not afford to be a strategic security threat to India and we don't have to be. We need to benefit from India," Colombage told Strat News Global in an interview.

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"President has clearly said that you are our first priority as far as security is concerned but I have to deal with other players for economic prosperity," he said.

Along with pursuing a neutral foreign policy, Sri Lanka will protect India's strategic interests, he added.

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During the interview, the Foreign Secretary also said that the decision to give Hambantota port on a 99-year lease to China was "a mistake".

He said China holds "roughly 85 per cent stake and Sri Lanka has a stake of only 15 per cent in it".

The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) secured emphatic victory in the parliamentary election held recently. (ANI)

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