Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, arrived in Sri Lanka this evening, on the 22nd, for an official state visit. He was welcomed at the airport by Ruwan Ranasinghe, the Deputy Minister of Tourism. In a post on X, he mentioned his plans to meet with Sri Lankan leaders on Tuesday, stating, “I landed in Colombo this evening. Thank you, Deputy @TourismMin Ruwan Ranasinghe, for the warm welcome. I am looking forward to my meetings with Sri Lankan leadership tomorrow.” The Indian External Affairs Ministry explained that Minister Jaishankar is visiting Sri Lanka as a Special Envoy for the Indian Prime Minister. This visit highlights India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and comes after Operation Sagar Bandhu was launched to help with the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The cyclone hit Sri Lanka on November 27, 2025, leading to devastating floods and landslides that resulted in over 500 fatalities and impacted millions of people. India responded quickly with humanitarian assistance following the cyclone. Operation Sagar Bandhu was initiated right after the storm made landfall, making India the first country to send specialized disaster responders. Within hours, Indian naval ships, which were already in Colombo for a fleet review, including the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, delivered initial relief supplies. In the days that followed, the Indian Air Force airlifted tons of essential items, such as tents, blankets, hygiene kits, medicines, and modular trauma units referred to as BHISHM Cubes.
Popular News
