Colombo, Dec. 3 — A specialized Indian Army contingent reached Sri Lanka on Wednesday to deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief after Cyclone Ditwah, part of an operation named Operation Sagar Bandhu. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said an Indian Air Force C-17 transport brought a self-contained modular field hospital, vehicles and more than 70 medical and support personnel to Colombo as India stepped up assistance for flood- and cyclone-hit areas.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo confirmed that two rapidly deployable field hospitals and roughly 70 staff have been sent to provide medical support where rescue and relief work is intensifying. Teams are expected to work alongside Sri Lankan authorities to treat the injured, support displaced families and bolster local response capacity.
Sri Lankan authorities report the severe weather linked to Cyclone Ditwah has killed about 410 people. The Disaster Management Centre says roughly 1.4 million people from 407,594 families have been affected by floods, landslides and heavy rains across the island.
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, Mahishini Colonne, praised India as a first responder, recalling New Delhi’s assistance after the tsunami and during recent economic hardship. She described the destruction as extensive, noted considerable loss of life and said Sri Lanka remains in the rescue and relief phase, welcoming the medical teams and mobile hospitals and expressing hope that cooperation will aid recovery and further strengthen bilateral ties.
India’s rapid deployment highlights its commitment under the Neighbourhood First policy and the MAHASAGAR outlook to act as a regional first responder and support partner in times of crisis.
