Sri Lanka PM Ranil Wickremesinghe extends gratitude to India for Rs 2 Bn humanitarian aid

As Sri Lanka is undergoing its worst economic crisis, the island country's northern neighbour India has deployed humanitarian aid worth over Rs 2 billion. Extending gratitude for the same, incumbent Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe thanked India and its nationals for delivering Rs 2 billion in humanitarian assistance in the midst of the crisis. On Sunday, Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that Sri Lanka received Rs 2 billion in humanitarian relief from India today, including milk powder, rice and medicine. He further noted that they are grateful to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and the Indian people for their support. Earlier last week, the Tamil Nadu CM sent a cargo of relief items for Sri Lanka comprising grains, milk powder and medicines.

Ranil Wickremesinghe also thanked the Indian High Commission in Colombo as well as Senthil Thondaman, the leader of Sri Lanka's Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), for their assistance. Taking to Twitter, he said that he appreciate the help provided by the High Commission in Colombo and CWC Leader Senthil Thondaman. The Indian High Commission in Colombo also stated that it handed over rice, milk powder & medicines worth more than Rs 2 billion to the Foreign Minister Prof.G.L Peiris in Colombo.

In the aid that India dispatched to Sri Lanka, there are 9,000 metric tons of rice and 50 metric tons of milk powder, as well as roughly 25 metric tons of medications and other pharmaceutical supplies. The Sri Lankan government will disperse the consignment to a number of individuals around the country, according to Colombo Page. The aid will be sent to the Northern, Eastern, Central and Western provinces of Sri Lanka. Previously, the Indian government provided Sri Lanka with dry meals, medicines and other needed items.

India has promised approximately USD 3 billion to Colombo

Since January 2022, India has promised approximately USD 3 billion to Colombo in the form of currency exchanges, credit lines for vital products and loan repayments to assist Sri Lanka in the face of one of the world's worst economic crises, according to ANI. Due to the economic crisis, Sri Lanka is grappling with food and fuel shortages, increasing prices and widespread power outages affecting millions of people.

Image: AP