India and Sri Lanka have agreed to expedite implementation of the USD 450 million post-Ditwah reconstruction package New Delhi pledged after the November 2025 cyclone, the Indian High Commission said on Sunday.
The agreement was reached at a meeting between Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha and Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando in Colombo. “Agreed to expedite implementation of the post-Ditwah reconstruction package of USD 450 million,” Jha said in a post on X.
The reconstruction package — first announced by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during his December 23 visit to Colombo — comprises USD 350 million in concessional Lines of Credit and USD 100 million in grants. It was offered after Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka on November 27, 2025, affecting more than three million people, triggering widespread flooding and landslides, and killing over 640 people.
India was the first international responder to the disaster, launching Operation Sagar Bandhu on November 28 to provide relief and restore connectivity. The acceleration commitment lands as Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya’s year-end reconstruction deadline approaches and after OCHA flagged a funding gap that has stalled parts of the recovery effort.
Jha said the meeting also reviewed progress on other Indian-financed bilateral projects across housing, health, water, infrastructure and the cultural sector, and discussed potential collaboration in modern financial frameworks and cybersecurity. The “expedite” commitment follows a recent push by High Commissioner Jha for a broader trade and connectivity reset covering ETCA, a Palk Strait land link and a submarine power line.
The Ministry of Finance issued its own post-meeting statement on Monday afternoon, confirming the May 10 discussions had focused on the USD 450 million reconstruction package and “further strengthening the strategic partnership” between Colombo and New Delhi, Newswire reported.
Sources: Ada Derana | Newswire.
