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Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha took part in the signing of the MoU for Cooperation between Colombo Dockyard and Dredging Corporation of India.The High Commission said on Tuesday that the Indian maritime sector also stands to benefit from the high skill set of the Colombo Dockyard.In a post on X, the High Commission said, "High Commissioner Santosh Jha witnessed the signing of the MoU for Cooperation between Colombo Dockyard & Dredging Corporation of India. The MoU will provide a pathway for Colombo Dockyard to benefit from the enhanced business volumes of the Indian maritime industry. The Indian maritime sector will also benefit from the high skill set of the Colombo Dockyard. The MoU showcases the strengthening of the India-Sri Lanka economic & commercial partnership, contributing to the mutual benefit of both countries."Sri Lanka has also acknowledged India's support in maintaining fuel supplies to the country during a period of global uncertainty, ...
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sunday thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sending an oil shipment to ease the fuel supply disruptions in the Island nation caused by the West Asia conflict. A shipment of 38,000 MT of fuel, comprising 20,000 MT of diesel and 18,000 MT of petrol, arrived in Colombo on Saturday, as an emergency support through the local operation of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Lanka IOC (LIOC). "Spoke with PM @narendramodi a few days ago about the fuel supply disruptions Sri Lanka is facing due to the Middle East conflict. Grateful for India's swift support. 38,000 MT of fuel arrived in Colombo yesterday," Dissanayake posted on social media. The Sri Lankan President also thanked External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for his support. "My thanks also to EAM @DrSJaishankar for his close coordination", he said. Earlier, Sri Lanka also held talks with Jaishankar to seek assistance on energy sustainability in view of the volatile situation i
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India and Sri Lanka are connected by "deep civilisational and spiritual bonds" as he thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for inaugurating the exposition of the holy Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha in Colombo. The first-ever international exposition of these sacred relics, which originate from the Devnimori archaeological site in Gujarat's Aravalli district, is taking place at Gangaramaya Temple from February 4-11. It was inaugurated by Sri Lankan President Dissanayaka along with Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and the state's Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi in the presence of Chief Incumbent Ven. Kirinde Assaji Thero at the Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo on Wednesday. "Respectfully welcome the Sacred Relics of the Buddha to Sri Lanka today for public veneration until the 11th at Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple. I deeply appreciate PM @narendramodi and the Government of India for honouring their promise and enabling this sacred ..
The Sri Lanka Navy has arrested seven Indian fishermen for allegedly fishing in the island nation's territorial waters. The fishermen were arrested and and their two trawlers seized on Tuesday off Kovilan, in the northern Jaffna peninsula, the Navy said in a statement. Those arrested will be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna, for legal proceedings, it said. Fishermen from both countries are arrested frequently for inadvertently trespassing into each other's waters. The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters. The Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries. In 2025, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 346 Indian fishermen for alleged poaching and seized 4
Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi met Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), Deputy Minister of Defence & Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Secretary of Defence, Sri Lanka, on Thursday to discuss ways to advance bilateral defence cooperation and military-to-military relations.Their talks focused on enhancing strategic ties, expanding joint military training, and examining the current geostrategic landscape in the region.Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting regional peace and stability. "#GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS held discussions with Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), Deputy Minister of Defence & Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Secretary of Defence, Sri Lanka. The interaction focused on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, enhancing military-to-military engagement including cooperation for Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief and reinforcing collaboration in areas of mutual interest, ...
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that India is proud to stand by Sri Lanka during Cyclone Ditwah and has proposed an assistance package worth USD 450 million. Jaishankar, who is in Sri Lanka as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's special envoy, made these remarks alongside Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath. "Just as Sri Lanka was recovering from the economic crisis of 2022, this natural disaster has created ?new ?difficulties," Jaishankar, who ?is on a two-day visit ?to the island nation, said. "Prime Minister Modi directed that we now engage with the Sri Lankan government to address their priorities. In that regard, the assistance package that we have proposed is worth USD 450 million, Jaishankar said. "The package will include USD 350 million in Concessional lines of credit, and USD 100 million of grants," he said. "This package is being finalised, in close consultation with the government of Sri Lanka. Our assistance will cover sectors worst affected b
India has extended its humanitarian and infrastructure assistance from the island's north to the northern Jaffna peninsula following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, India has deployed engineering and medical teams to restore damaged connectivity and support affected communities. "As part of India's continued assistance to Sri Lanka under 'Operation Sagar Bandhu', the Indian High Commission in Colombo, Assistant High Commission in Kandy and Consulate General of India in Jaffna conducted humanitarian assistance distribution drives for families affected by Cyclone Ditwah in different parts of the Island." "On December 18, High Commissioner of India Santosh Jha distributed relief kits among affected families in the Kolonnawa in coordination with 'All Ceylon Sufi Spiritual Association' and among children of Bhaktivedanta Children's Home Gokulam' at ISKCON Temple in Colombo." "Earlier this month, the High Commissioner also distributed assistance am
A field hospital set up by India in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka wound up operations after the successful completion of its mission, the Indian High Commission here has said. As part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, a full-fledged para field hospital along with a 78-member Integrated Task Force of the Indian Army's Shatrujeet Brigade was airlifted to Sri Lanka on December 2 and deployed at Mahiyanganaya, near Kandy, to meet urgent medical requirements, the mission said in a press release on Sunday. The facility catered to around 1,000 to 1,200 patients daily, it said, adding that the hospital provided critical lifesaving medical care, including trauma management surgeries. "Over the course of its operation, the hospital achieved remarkable outcomes, treating a total of 7,176 patients, performing 513 minor procedures, and conducting 14 major surgeries, bringing relief and comfort to patients in one of the most affected areas, the release said. Following the successful completion of its mission,
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Thursday led the Supreme Court in according a ceremonial welcome to his Sri Lankan counterpart Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, who is currently on an official visit to India. Justice Surasena, who assumed office as the 49th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka on July 27, shared the bench with the CJI and Justice Joymalya Bagchi during a special sitting. Justice Surasena was accompanied by a delegation of nine judges of the Sri Lankan top court. Welcoming the visiting dignitaries, CJI Kant said the Indian judiciary was honoured to host the Sri Lankan chief justice and his delegation. "We hope that your visit to India has been quite meaningful and very constructive in terms of the dialogue exchanges... Our countries have close emotional bonds in terms of culture and sentiments," the CJI said. Justice Surasena, responding warmly, said it was "indeed a great pleasure" for him and the accompanying judges to visit India. "India is our closest neighbour
A mobile hospital set up by India in Sri Lanka has provided medical care to over 2,200 people affected by Cyclone Ditwah, as New Delhi ramped up its assistance to the flood-ravaged island nation with engineering support and delivery of fresh relief consignments, the Indian mission here said on Sunday. Sri Lanka has been grappling with widespread flooding, landslides and severe infrastructure collapse triggered by the cyclone, leaving several districts isolated and severely straining the country's disaster-response capacity. At least 627 people have been killed and 190 remain missing as of Sunday noon due to catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather conditions since November 16. Sharing a social media post by the Ministry of External Affairs on its X handle, the Indian High Commission said a field hospital set up by India in Mahiyanganaya near Kandy has provided medical care to more than 2,200 people affected by the cyclone since December 5. The hospital has also
Indian envoy on Saturday met Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath and discussed cooperation in the reconstruction and rehabilitation process in the aftermath of cyclone Ditwah that wreaked havoc in the Island nation. At least 618 people have died, and 209 are missing as of Saturday evening 8 pm, due to the catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather conditions since November 16, according to Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre (DMC). India was the first country to respond to Sri Lanka's international appeal for assistance under its Operation Sagar Bandhu. High Commissioner Santosh Jha met Vijitha Herath and discussed the ongoing Indian assistance to Sri Lanka under #OperationSagarBandhu High Commission of India in Colombo posted on social media on Friday. He also discussed avenues of cooperation during the reconstruction and rehabilitation phases in the aftermath of #CycloneDitwah, it added. Jha also briefed Sri Lankan corporate leaders about N
India has sent a mobile field hospital and over 70 medical personnel to Sri Lanka as part of its continuing humanitarian assistance following the devastating floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, the Indian mission here said on Wednesday. Sri Lanka has been grappling with widespread flooding, landslides and severe infrastructure collapse, leaving several districts isolated and severely straining the country's disaster-response capacity. As of Tuesday, 465 people have been killed, with 366 missing, in catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather conditions since November 16. The Indian High Commission in a social media post said India has sent a "rapidly deployable field hospital" along with over 70 medical personnel to provide urgently required healthcare support in disaster-affected areas. Citing a social media post by PRO Defence Jammu, it said an Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft airlifted the para field hospital, along with equipment and 73
Sri Lanka continued relief and rescue efforts on Sunday with India's assistance in the aftermath of catastrophic floods, landslides and devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah that killed over 190 people. According to the latest figures released by Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre(DMC) at 12 pm on Sunday, 193 people have been killed with 228 missing since Thursday. A whopping 9,68,304 people from 2,66,114 families were affected by the extreme weather, DMC said. Meanwhile, India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, along with the Indian Air Force, continue to assist Sri Lankan authorities to save precious lives on a war footing. "@NDRFHQ personnel, in close coordination with local authorities, continue to undertake relief operations in Sri Lanka," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on social media. India sent two urban search and rescue teams comprising 80 National Disaster Response Force personnel to the Island nation under Operation Sagar Bandhu, ...
Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday said the Tamil Nadu government is ready to lend a helping hand to cyclone-wrecked Sri Lanka, by providing food and medicine, through the Union government. Stalin said he has directed Chief Secretary N Muruganandam to form a committee of officials to work in coordination with the Central government in this regard. Meanwhile, the CM said that steps were taken by the state's Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils to safely bring back home passengers from Tamil Nadu stranded in Sri Lanka, and in the first phase, as many as 177 people, including 4 children and 60 women, were brought back to the state on Sunday morning. Conveying his condolences to the bereaved families in Sri Lanka, the chief minister said that the Tamil Nadu people shared the grief of the people of the island nation.