Ali Sabry has revealed that Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman played an instrumental role in shifting the International Monetary Fund's stance toward Sri Lanka during critical economic negotiations.

Former Finance Minister Ali Sabry has attributed a significant turning point in Sri Lanka's IMF negotiations to behind-the-scenes intervention by Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Speaking on a podcast, Sabry described his initial encounters with IMF regional directors as discouraging, noting their reluctance to engage with Sri Lanka's proposals despite the nation's efforts to present a fresh approach to its economic crisis.

Sabry recounted that prior to a scheduled meeting with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath, he had lunch with Sitharaman and shared his concerns about the IMF's negative reception. According to Sabry's account, Sitharaman offered to meet with Georgieva beforehand to advocate on Sri Lanka's behalf.

Following Sitharaman's intervention, Sabry reported a marked change in the IMF's approach during his subsequent meeting with Georgieva. He stated that the tone and environment of the discussion became notably more favorable toward Sri Lanka. Georgieva reportedly indicated that her preceding meeting with Sitharaman had been substantially devoted to Sri Lanka's circumstances, despite not being primarily focused on Indian interests.

Sabry characterized this diplomatic development as foundational to Sri Lanka's eventual economic recovery trajectory. The account highlights the role of regional diplomatic efforts in shaping multilateral financial negotiations during the island nation's economic stabilization period.