Foreign Minister of India S. Jaishankar to Visit Sri Lanka

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is due to visit Sri Lanka next week as the country continues to recover from one of the worst natural disasters in its recent history.

The visit comes in the aftermath of India’s rapid humanitarian response to Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka on November 27, 2025, causing widespread flooding and landslides that killed more than 500 people and affected millions.

India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu immediately after the cyclone, becoming the first nation to deploy specialised disaster response teams. Indian naval vessels already in Colombo for a fleet review, including aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, handed over emergency relief supplies within hours of the disaster.

Subsequently, the Indian Air Force airlifted tonnes of essential items such as tents, blankets, hygiene kits, medicines and modular trauma units known as BHISHM Cubes. National Disaster Response Force teams, supported by search dogs, were deployed to heavily affected districts including Badulla and Gampaha, rescuing more than 450 people from flooded and landslide-hit areas.

Helicopters from INS Vikrant and IAF Mi-17 aircraft carried out continuous rescue and relief operations, evacuating vulnerable groups and delivering aid to remote communities. An Indian Army field hospital in Badulla provided medical treatment to thousands, while military engineers airlifted Bailey bridges to restore damaged road connections.

Indian naval vessels later delivered hundreds of tonnes of dry rations, including supplies from Tamil Nadu, to the ports of Colombo and Trincomalee.

Sri Lankan officials have praised the speed and coordination of India’s response, with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake describing Cyclone Ditwah as the most challenging disaster the country has faced in recent years.

Jaishankar’s visit is expected to focus on ongoing reconstruction support, reflecting India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy and the two countries’ shared regional and maritime interests.