Colombo: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday held a detailed discussion on the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath in Colombo.
Jaishankar, who is in the Sri Lankan capital as the Special Envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, told Herath that the Indian government has committed a reconstruction package of USD 450 million to Sri Lanka.
In a press statement, he said: “India’s relief and assistance mission – Operation Sagar Bandhu – commenced on the very day that Cyclone Ditwah made landfall. Our Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant and another ship INS Udayagiri were present at Colombo and delivered relief material and thereafter also deployed helicopters. Thereafter, a number of Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Airforce were active for a period of more than two weeks in Sri Lanka. An 80-member National Disaster Response Force contingent arrived simultaneously and conducted rescue and relief operations. The Indian Army set up a field hospital with 85 medical personnel near Kandy, giving emergency care to more than 8000 people. Two modular BHISHM emergency care units were also air lifted to Sri Lanka and utilized.”
In a post on X, the external affairs minister said: “Reiterated India’s full support to Sri Lanka’s recovery and rebuilding in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. Discussed the implementation of the reconstruction package offered and further relief measures.”
For his part, Herath expressed appreciation for India’s support to Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the cyclone and reaffirmed the close partnership between the two countries.
