Fact Check: Did External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar talk about merging of Sri Lanka with India?

Recently, India has sent another consignment of 40,000 tonnes of diesel under a line of credit to the financially troubled Sri Lanka. So that he can deal with the power crisis arising in the country.

Meanwhile, a screenshot of the alleged tweet of India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar is going viral on social media. In which it was claimed that the Indian Foreign Minister has offered to merge Sri Lanka with India.

There is an offer!!
But I love my Sri Lanka.
Without these corrupted politicians, it's an absolute pearl in the Indian ocean.#GoHomeGota2020 #GoHomeRajapakshas pic.twitter.com/X6dJDhqzc2

— Amour street – Ameer nana. (@ValachaniNews) April 21, 2022

The viral screenshot read that “If the people of Sri Lanka agree, India is ready to declare that Sri Lanka will become a state of India.” As a result, Indian Gas, Fuel, milk, food, fertilizers and many other essential commodities will be able to solve the problems that the country is facing. In addition, India will also look into all future issues of Sri Lanka.” It added, “India is extending a hand of survival to the people of Sri Lanka.”

Fact Check

During the investigation of the viral screenshot, we found that no such tweet was made from the Twitter account of Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. At the same time, no press release was found in the media section of the website of the Ministry of External Affairs. However, we found a tweet from the official handle of the Indian High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

We have seen a morphed image purported to be from the twitter handle of External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar. This is completely fake and fabricated. We strongly deny its malicious contents. Such mischievous attempts by desperate parties will never succeed in affecting (1/2)

— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) April 20, 2022

Regarding the viral screenshot in the tweet, it was said that “We have seen a distorted image purportedly from the Twitter handle of External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar. This is completely fake and fabricated. We strongly deny its malicious content. Such mischievous attempts by desperate parties will never succeed in sabotaging the close, friendly and age-old ties between India and Sri Lanka.”