COLOMBO: India has expanded its humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the recent cyclone, with four more naval ships deployed to deliver essential relief material as part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, the Indian Navy said on Monday.
According to the Navy, INS Gharial, LCU 54 LCU 51and LCU 57 have been tasked with transporting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) stores to affected regions across Sri Lanka.
Three of the ships, LCU 54, LCU 51 and LCU 57, reached Colombo on the morning of December 7 and handed over critical supplies to local authorities.
INS Gharial is expected to arrive in Trincomalee on December 8 to continue the relief operations.
The latest deployment follows earlier assistance delivered by INS Vikrant, INS Udaygiri and INS Sukanya, which carried out relief missions and helicopter-borne search and rescue operations under the ongoing effort.
With 1,000 tonnes of relief supplies onboard, this mission reinforces the strong people-to-people ties between India and Sri Lanka and reflects the Indian Navy's commitment to providing timely humanitarian support to our Indian Ocean Region neighbours, as per the statement.
Another statement added that the initiative aligns with the Government of India's vision of 'Mahasagar', aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and ensuring rapid assistance during crises. (ANI)