CivilsKash
India’s $450 Million Lifeline for Cyclone-Hit Sri Lanka
India announced a $450 million reconstruction package to support Sri Lanka’s recovery after Cyclone Ditwah, which struck in late November 2025, causing at least 643 deaths and displacing thousands, marking a major humanitarian and strategic outreach in India’s Neighbourhood First policy.
The assistance comprises $350 million in concessional Lines of Credit and $100 million in grants, aimed at rebuilding climate-vulnerable sectors such as infrastructure, housing, and livelihoods most affected by the cyclone.
The announcement was made in Colombo by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, acting as the special envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who described the move as a “new chapter” in India–Sri Lanka relations.
India had earlier mounted rapid disaster response by deploying military personnel and resources for over two weeks to assist in search, rescue, and relief operations, including in remote inundated regions, reinforcing India’s role as a first responder in the Indian Ocean Region.
The assistance comprises $350 million in concessional Lines of Credit and $100 million in grants, aimed at rebuilding climate-vulnerable sectors such as infrastructure, housing, and livelihoods most affected by the cyclone.
The announcement was made in Colombo by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, acting as the special envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who described the move as a “new chapter” in India–Sri Lanka relations.
India had earlier mounted rapid disaster response by deploying military personnel and resources for over two weeks to assist in search, rescue, and relief operations, including in remote inundated regions, reinforcing India’s role as a first responder in the Indian Ocean Region.