India Expands Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu

India has intensified its relief efforts in Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, providing urgent assistance to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah. Relief supplies delivered by air, sea, and ground are reaching families impacted by floods and landslides across the island.

On 1 December, a consignment brought by INS Sukanya of the Indian Navy arrived at Trincomalee and was quickly transported by the Sri Lankan Air Force to the hardest-hit areas of the Eastern Province. The shipments included essential food, medical supplies, and other emergency relief materials for isolated families.

Indian rescue teams have been carrying out large-scale evacuations across multiple districts. In Puttalam, personnel from India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescued expectant mothers, critically ill patients, and nearly 800 stranded residents, delivering essential supplies through challenging, door-to-door operations. In the central region, Indian Air Force helicopters air-dropped more than 5.5 tonnes of relief material and conducted high-risk evacuations from locations where landing was impossible. Several severely injured survivors near Ganthuna were airlifted to Rivisanda for emergency treatment.

Coordinated operations with the Sri Lankan Air Force saw essential relief flown to Poramadulla and personnel transported from Nuwara Eliya to support ongoing rescue efforts. IAF helicopters also delivered over 2,000 kilograms of supplies to Mandaram Nuwara and evacuated residents needing urgent medical care. In Kotmale, 24 individuals, including women and children, were safely transported to Colombo. On 2 December, helicopters airlifted more than 8 tonnes of relief material and evacuated 65 people, including citizens of Germany and Australia, from critical locations.

High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Santosh Jha, visited Sedawatta near Colombo to review NDRF operations. He met with affected residents and local authorities overseeing ground relief work. In Nadeegama, on the banks of the Kelani River where floodwaters reached six to eight feet, 52 people were evacuated. Search operations continue in Badulla, where one deceased person was recovered after complex excavation.

In a major boost to medical relief, a rapidly deployable field hospital transported on an IAF C-17 Globemaster arrived in Sri Lanka, complete with ambulances, trauma care units, and operation theatres. The field hospital, along with 73 medical personnel, was handed over by High Commissioner Jha and will serve flood- and landslide-affected areas.

India remains committed to providing continuous, coordinated relief by land, sea, and air, ensuring timely assistance reaches the communities most affected by this disaster.