India Mobilises Ships, Aircraft And NDRF Teams As Cyclone Ditwah Kills Over 130 In Sri Lanka

India has stepped up large-scale humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, dispatching multiple consignments of relief supplies, personnel, and equipment to support ongoing rescue

and recovery efforts.

Warships INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri delivered 4.5 tonnes of dry rations, 2 tonnes of fresh rations, and a range of essential items to help families impacted by the cyclone.

In a parallel airlift operation, a C-130J aircraft arrived in Colombo early this morning carrying around 12 tonnes of aid, including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits and ready-to-eat meals.

Additionally, an IL-76 transport aircraft touched down in Colombo with nine tonnes of relief cargo, alongside 80 National Disaster Response Force personnel, four search-and-rescue canines, and eight tonnes of specialised HADR equipment to support emergency operations on the ground.

Two Chetak helicopters deployed from INS Vikrant are currently engaged in joint search-and-rescue missions with Sri Lanka Air Force crews.

Meanwhile, the High Commission of India in Colombo is assisting Indian travellers stranded at Bandaranaike International Airport due to major flight disruptions. Stranded passengers are being provided food, water and other essential support.

In continued relief mobilisation, INS Sukanya has departed from Visakhapatnam carrying additional supplies and is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka shortly.

Op Sagar Bandhu

India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, where catastrophic floods and landslides have claimed more than 130 lives and left dozens missing.

Over 200,000 people from 61,000 families have been impacted, with thousands displaced to temporary relief camps after their homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

An Indian Air Force C-130 aircraft carrying emergency supplies landed in Colombo early Saturday, delivering food packets, hygiene material and other essentials for affected communities.

The aircraft touched down at Bandaranaike International Airport around 1:30 am, where officials from the Indian High Commission and the Sri Lanka Air Force received the consignment.

This air delivery follows the first batch of aid sent on Friday, transported by Indian Navy vessels INS Vikrant and INS Udaigiri.

India announced Operation Sagar Bandhu the same day, pledging rapid assistance as Sri Lanka struggled to cope with what authorities have described as an “unprecedented disaster” in the Western Province.