India announces Rs 4,000 crore reconstruction package to rebuild Sri Lanka
Highlighting Sri Lanka’s importance under India’s Neighbourhood First and MAHASAGAR policies, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Tuesday stated it was natural for India to step forward at the time of crisis in the island nation following Cyclone Ditwah.
He recalled New Delhi’s support to Colombo during its earlier economic turmoil.
The EAM called on Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake earlier in the day and handed over a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirming India’s role as a first responder and committing a reconstruction package of $450 million to Sri Lanka.
Addressing a joint press conference with his Sri Lankan counterpart Vijitha Herath in Colombo, EAM said, “I am here as special envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and carrying a message for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The President was kind enough to receive me this morning, and we had a detailed discussion on the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The letter from Prime Minister Modi that I handed over builds on our first responder role and commits a reconstruction package of $450 million to Sri Lanka.”
“Our talks centred around how expeditiously this commitment can be delivered. As your closest neighbour and in line with our Neighbourhood First and MAHASAGAR policies, it was only natural that India would step forward at a time when Sri Lanka faced a crisis. We have done so when you were going through economic difficulties as well,” he added.
EAM Jaishankar highlighted that India’s relief and assistance mission under Operation Sagar Bandhu commenced on the very day Cyclone Ditwah made landfall.
“Our aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and another ship, INS Udaygiri, were present at Colombo and delivered relief materials and thereafter also deployed helicopters. Thereafter, a number of MI-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force 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,” EAM detailed.
“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 airlifted to Sri Lanka and utilised,” he added.