Indian High Commission hands over 125 SUVs to Sri Lanka police; check details
Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay handed over 125 SUVs to Sri Lanka's Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles for the Sri Lanka Police. Under the 'Neighbourhood First' policy, India has extended multi-pronged assistance to Sri Lanka over the last year to aid the country in navigating its worst economic and humanitarian crisis.
FollowIndia has handed over 125 SUVs to Sri Lankan police under a line of credit as part of its ongoing efforts to support the cash-strapped island nation and address the senior mobility restriction issues faced by the police due lack of vehicles.
Under the 'Neighbourhood First' policy, India has extended multi-pronged assistance to Sri Lanka over the last year to aid the country in navigating its worst economic and humanitarian crisis since its independence from Great Britain in 1948.
On Thursday, Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, in the official ceremony, handed over 125 SUVs to Sri Lanka's Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles for the Sri Lanka Police.
The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted and informed that another 375 SUVs would be delivered to Colombo under the existing line of credit.
The tweet read, "India's support for Sri Lanka continues. The High Commissioner ceremonially handed over 125 Mahindra SUVs to Tiran Alles, Sri Lanka's Hon. Minister of Public Security. More than 500 high-tech SUVs from an existing line of credit will be available soon! The contract was signed earlier this year," it said.
Alles said that Sri Lanka police faced severe mobility restrictions due to a lack of vehicles, as fleet replenishment had been impossible for the previous three years.
India provided nearly USD 4 billion in economic assistance to help secure Sri Lanka's food, health, and energy security by supplying essential items such as food, medicines, fuel, and kerosene.
The two countries are currently negotiating the crucial debt restructuring scheme, which is required for Sri Lanka to close the deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
In September, Sri Lanka reached a staff-level agreement with the global lender for a four-year USD 2.9 billion bailout package.
The Lankan government in May appointed international legal and debt advisory for debt restructuring after the county declared its international debt default for the first time in history.
The island nation is nearly bankrupt and has suspended repaying its USD 51 billion foreign debt, of which it must repay USD 28 billion by 2027.
Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, plunged into financial and political turmoil earlier this year due to a currency shortage.
As a result of these factors, the country has been unable to afford key imports, including fuel, fertiliser, and medicine, resulting in serpentine lines.
(With inputs from PTI)
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