India will provide Sri Lanka with 450 million US dollars in post-disaster humanitarian aid

India has committed to providing 450 million US dollars in humanitarian aid to help Sri Lanka recover from the severe damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Ditwa.

Agence France-Presse reported that Indian Foreign Minister Sujatha Singh disclosed the above information on Tuesday (December 23) during his visit to Sri Lanka.

According to the World Bank, this cyclone swept through Sri Lanka last month, causing over 640 deaths, triggering floods and landslides, and resulting in economic losses of approximately 4 billion US dollars, equivalent to 4% of the country's GDP.

Sri Lankan President Disanayak described the storm, which affected over 2 million people, as the most challenging natural disaster in Sri Lanka's history.

Sujjaishin said at a media briefing held in Colombo on the same day that he had handed over a letter from Indian Prime Minister Modi to Disanayak, promising to provide a "reconstruction aid package" totaling 450 million US dollars.

of this, 350 million US dollars will be provided in the form of "concessional lines of credit", and the remaining 100 million US dollars will be offered as grant aid.

Sujatha Singh also said that India will help alleviate the losses in other ways, including encouraging Indian tourists to visit Sri Lanka.

He added, "Similarly, an increase in foreign direct investment from India can boost your country's economic development at a critical moment."