Operation Sagar Bandhu: India Aids Sri Lanka with Rescue, Relief Ops

Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, India provides extensive humanitarian aid to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka. NDRF teams are conducting rescues, the IAF has deployed a field hospital, and the Indian Navy is providing relief, reinforcing its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

India on Wednesday highlighted ongoing humanitarian assistance in Sri Lanka through coordinated rescue, medical, and relief operations under Operation Sagar Bandhu, according to posts shared on X by the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka.

In a post on X, the mission said, "In close coordination with Sri Lankan armed forces, @NDRFHQ teams continue rescuing stranded people from critical areas, providing urgent assistance and relief to those affected." https://x.com/IndiainSL/status/1996160379677028838?s=20 It added that NDRF personnel have evacuated vulnerable individuals, including a visually challenged senior citizen and an injured woman, and also recovered a deceased person beneath compacted debris.

Air, Medical, and Naval Support

India has also deployed air and medical assets to support on-ground operations. In another post, the mission said, "The @IAF_MCC C-17 arrived in Sri Lanka with a self-contained, modular field hospital, medical teams, and support vehicles strengthening ongoing #OperationSagarBandhu and medical relief efforts on the ground." https://x.com/IndiainSL/status/1996158853352976802?s=20 The High Commission noted that the rapidly deployable facility, staffed by 70 personnel, will provide healthcare support in disaster-affected areas.

Naval support has reinforced these efforts in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. The Navy spokesperson said INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri delivered immediate assistance in Colombo, with shipborne helicopters conducting aerial reconnaissance and supporting search and rescue operations. INS Sukanya also reached Trincomalee on December 1 carrying critical relief material for Sri Lankan authorities.

Sri Lanka Lauds India's 'First Responder' Role

"These actions reaffirm the Indian Navy's role as the first responder in the Indian Ocean Region in line with India's MAHASAGAR vision and Neighbourhood First policy," the spokesperson said.

High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, Mahishini Colonne, said more than 400 people had lost their lives due to the cyclone and that relief and rescue operations were still underway. "We are grateful to India, for being the first responder as India has always been," she said, noting that India had assisted Sri Lanka during the tsunami, the economic crisis and now the cyclone.

She added that medical teams and mobile hospitals were working with Sri Lankan officials "to help Sri Lanka go through this difficult phase," expressing confidence that cooperation during this crisis would further strengthen bilateral ties.

The scale and speed of India's ongoing support reflect its commitment to assisting neighbouring nations in times of crisis, consistent with its Neighbourhood First policy and MAHASAGAR outlook. (ANI)

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