India Announces $450M Cyclone Relief for Sri Lanka under Sagar Bandhu
India Announces $450M Cyclone Relief for Sri Lanka under Sagar Bandhu
India pledges a $450 million relief package, including concessional credit and grants, to Sri Lanka for cyclone recovery as Jaishankar visits Colombo on the Sagar Bandhu mission.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka as Prime Minister Modi's special envoy, announced a USD 450 million cyclone relief package for the island nation. The package includes USD 350 million in concessional lines of credit and USD 100 million in grants, and is being finalised in close consultation with the Sri Lankan government. Our assistance will target sectors most affected by the cyclone and the rehabilitation and restoration of essential connectivity.
The five priority areas identified are: rehabilitation and restoration of road, railway, and bridge connectivity; housing reconstruction for those whose homes were fully destroyed or partially damaged; strengthening health and education systems damaged by the disaster; supporting agriculture and addressing potential short- and medium-term shortages; and improving disaster response and preparedness to bolster resilience against future events. Jaishankar emphasised that the package is aligned with Prime Minister Modi's directive to engage Sri Lanka and address its priorities.
The move reinforces India's Neighbourhood First policy amid Sri Lanka's ongoing recovery from the 2022 economic crisis and recent natural disasters. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath welcomed the plan and noted ongoing close coordination to implement projects across affected sectors. The Sagar Bandhu initiative is presented as a sustained commitment to Sri Lanka's reconstruction, resilience, and long-term stability in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah.
