Colombo: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday engaged in discussions with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, and other senior officials concerning restoration and relief efforts in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah.
According to Kuwait News Agency, India acted promptly as Sri Lanka's closest neighbour, in alignment with its Neighbourhood First and MAHASAGAR policies, as stated by Jaishankar during a joint press conference with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath. This meeting was part of Jaishankar's two-day official visit to Sri Lanka.
India initiated assistance on the day the cyclone made landfall, as indicated by a statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. Jaishankar noted that Indian naval vessels delivered relief supplies, Indian Air Force helicopters conducted operations for over two weeks, and an 80-member National Disaster Response Force was deployed for rescue missions. Additionally, an Indian Army field hospital provided emergency medical care to more than 8,000 people.
Jaishankar further detailed that India delivered over 1,100 tonnes of relief materials, which included food rations, tents, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, clothing, and water purification equipment. Moreover, India proposed a USD 450 million assistance package, comprising USD 350 million in concessional lines of credit and USD 100 million in grants, aimed at supporting infrastructure rehabilitation, housing, health and education, agriculture, and disaster preparedness.
During his visit, Jaishankar also engaged with Sri Lankan Health and Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, Labour Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando, and members of the Indian business community in Sri Lanka.