NEW DELHI: India pledged on Tuesday a $450-million package for Sri Lanka’s recovery and reconstruction after Cyclone Ditwah, the largest assistance commitment announced so far.
When it made landfall in late November, Cyclone Ditwah turned into Sri Lanka’s most severe weather disaster in recent history, with 640 deaths, millions affected, billions of dollars in direct damage, and far-reaching impacts on agriculture, infrastructure and vulnerable communities.
The World Bank estimates direct losses at about $4.1 billion, roughly 4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, as floodwaters and landslides have devastated homes, agricultural land, and infrastructure.
India’s aid package was announced by Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar who is on a two-day visit to Colombo as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special envoy on cyclone response.
He met Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on Tuesday.
In a media briefing, Jaishankar said he had handed a letter from Modi to Dissanayake, committing to a “reconstruction package of $450 million” and “how expeditiously this commitment can be delivered.”
The cyclone hit Sri Lanka as the country was still recovering from its worst-ever economic crisis in 2022, when it exhausted foreign exchange reserves and struggled to pay for essential imports, including food, fuel, and medicine.
Nearly 2 million people have been displaced, including tens of thousands remaining in evacuation shelters. Relief and recovery efforts continue, often disrupted by damage to roads, railways, bridges, and utilities.
India’s aid package is the largest assistance commitment announced to date for Sri Lanka’s cyclone recovery.
The International Monetary Fund approved about $206 million through its Rapid Finance Instrument as part of immediate support, while the World Bank has provided $120 million.
The UK pledged about $890,000 for emergency assistance, while most other national contributions were in‑kind support.
India’s aid package includes $350 million in concessional lines of credit and $100 million in grants, focusing on restoring connectivity, rebuilding damaged homes, and mitigating the cyclone’s impact on agriculture.
“Given the scale of damage, restoring connectivity was clearly an immediate priority,” Jaishankar said.
“We are conscious that work towards mitigating the impact of Cyclone Ditwah on the people of Sri Lanka must be done in the quickest time possible. We are discussing an effective coordination mechanism for earliest possible delivery.”
