NEW DELHI
\nIndia pledged on Tuesday a $450-million package for Sri Lanka\u2019s recovery and reconstruction after Cyclone Ditwah, the largest assistance commitment announced so far.
\nWhen it made landfall in late November, Cyclone Ditwah turned into Sri Lanka\u2019s 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.
\nThe World Bank estimates direct losses at about $4.1 billion, roughly 4\u202fpercent of the country\u2019s gross domestic product, as floodwaters and landslides have devastated homes, agricultural land, and infrastructure.
\nIndia\u2019s aid package was announced by Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar who is on a two-day visit to Colombo as Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s special envoy on cyclone response.
\nHe met Sri Lanka\u2019s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on Tuesday.
\nIn a media briefing, Jaishankar said he had handed a letter from Modi to Dissanayake, committing to a \u201creconstruction package of $450 million\u201d and \u201chow expeditiously this commitment can be delivered.\u201d
\nThe 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.
\nNearly 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.
\nIndia\u2019s aid package is the largest assistance commitment announced to date for Sri Lanka\u2019s cyclone recovery.
\nThe 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.
\nThe UK pledged about $890,000 for emergency assistance, while most other national contributions were in\u2011kind support.
\nIndia\u2019s 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\u2019s impact on agriculture.
\n\u201cGiven the scale of damage, restoring connectivity was clearly an immediate priority,\u201d Jaishankar said.
\n\u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEW DELHI India pledged on Tuesday a $450-million package for Sri Lanka\u2019s 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\u2019s most severe weather disaster in recent history, with 640 deaths, millions affected, billions of dollars in direct […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":521739,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-521718","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n