External Affairs Minister Jaishankar will travel to Sri Lanka on December 23 as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy.
It underscores India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and engaging with Sri Lankan leadership in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah.
Indian naval ships, the Air Force, NDRF teams and an Army field hospital were deployed for relief, rescue and medical care, with helicopters evacuating survivors and engineers restoring critical connectivity.
Jaishankar To Visit Sri Lanka As PM’s Special Envoy After Cyclone Ditwah Relief Efforts
India was the first to respond to Sri Lanka’s appeal for assistance, providing over 1,134 tonnes of humanitarian aid under Operation “Sagar Bandhu”, including food, shelter material, medicines and medical equipment.
Summary
External Affairs Minister Jaishankar will visit Sri Lanka on Tuesday (December 23, 2025) as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy and hold meetings with the Sri Lankan leadership, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said on Monday (December 22, 2025).
In a statement, the High Commission said the visit underlines India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and comes in the backdrop of Operation Sagar Bandhu, launched in response to the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. India was the first country to respond to Sri Lanka’s international appeal for assistance following the cyclone.
India’s Operation “Sagar Bandhu” delivered large-scale relief and recovery support. Since its launch on November 28, India has provided more than 1,134 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, including dry rations, tents, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, clothing, water purification systems, as well as 14.5 tonnes of medicines and surgical equipment.
Indian Naval ships INS Vikrant, INS Udaygiri, INS Sukanya, LCU-54, LCU-57, LCU-51 and INS Gharial transported substantial quantities of relief material to Colombo and Trincomalee, along with Indian Coast Guard ship Shaurya. Two National Disaster Response Force teams carried out immediate search-and-rescue operations, while an 85-member Indian Army field hospital in Mahiyanganaya provided life-saving medical care to more than 7,000 patients.
Medical centres equipped with BHISHM Arogya Maitri cubes were set up in the worst-affected areas, and 248 tonnes of Bailey bridge components, along with 48 engineers, were airlifted to restore critical connectivity.
Indian Air Force and Navy helicopters were also deployed to evacuate survivors, transport personnel and deliver relief supplies, reflecting India’s steadfast support for Sri Lanka during the crisis.
(with inputs from The Hindu)
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