On Tuesday, theIndian Army announced the deployment of an integrated high-readiness task force to help Sri Lanka as the island nation grapples with the devastating impact of Cyclone Ditwah.
Under the Operation Sagar Bandhu, the contingent will provide critical relief, restore essential services, and assist affected families, the Army mentioned.
The self-contained HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) unit from the Shatrujeet Brigade has been dispatched as part of India’s Neighbourhood First policy.
Cyclone Ditwah has triggered massive flooding, landslides and infrastructure collapse across Sri Lanka, overwhelming local response systems. India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu on November 28 and has already delivered 53 tonnes of relief material by air and sea.
According to Sri Lankan authorities, the extreme weather has claimed 390 lives, with 352 people still missing as of Monday.
With several districts cut off, India’s rapid deployment aims to bolster rescue efforts and ensure urgent humanitarian support in one of Sri Lanka’s worst natural disasters in recent years.
