Sri Lanka’s Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa met India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Tuesday at India House in Colombo, holding discussions focused on disaster relief, transparency, and long-term disaster management cooperation.
During the meeting, Premadasa expressed appreciation to the Indian government for its assistance following Cyclone Ditwah, particularly the relief extended under Operation Sagar Bandhu. He conveyed gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, the Indian government and the people of India for providing a USD 450 million support package to Sri Lanka, comprising a USD 100 million grant and a USD 350 million low-interest concessional loan.
Premadasa said the assistance was extended on behalf of nearly 22 million Sri Lankans affected directly or indirectly by the disaster.
Referring to Sri Lanka’s experience during the 2004 tsunami, the Opposition Leader said the country had failed to draw sufficient lessons to establish a robust disaster management framework, contributing to the scale of losses caused by Cyclone Ditwah. He stressed the need for a dedicated disaster management ministry and a comprehensive national strategy to mitigate future risks.
Minister Jaishankar highlighted India’s own experience following the 1999 super cyclone in Odisha, which claimed more than 10,000 lives and affected around 18 million people. He said the disaster prompted India to introduce structured disaster preparedness and response mechanisms, enabling the evacuation and protection of nearly one million people during a cyclone in 2013 and close to 1.2 million people during another in 2019.
Jaishankar said Sri Lanka could benefit from adopting similar disaster preparedness models to reduce loss of life in future emergencies.
The Indian External Affairs Minister also emphasized that Indian assistance should reach the public in a transparent manner. Premadasa responded by stating that the opposition would extend its fullest cooperation to ensure accountability and effective delivery of aid to affected communities.
Premadasa further requested continued support from India for Sri Lanka’s recovery and future resilience-building efforts.
The meeting took place at India House and was attended by officials from both sides. (Newswire)