India Sends Medical Aid to Sri Lanka Following Cyclone Ditwah
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India has sent medical aid to Sri Lanka following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, with a C-17A aircraft from the Indian Air Force landing in Colombo on December 2, 2025. The aircraft delivered critical medical supplies, which included advanced medical equipment and two fully equipped mobile field hospitals, designed for rapid deployment in emergency zones.
One of these field hospitals is set to be established in Welimada to support ongoing humanitarian operations. In addition to the medical equipment, India dispatched over 70 medical personnel, including doctors, anaesthesiologists, and other specialized staff, to provide immediate healthcare support in the disaster-affected areas.
This response was confirmed by the Sri Lankan President's office and reported by various sources, including The Hindu. As of December 3, 2025, the death toll in Sri Lanka has risen to 474, according to the Disaster Management Centre.
The Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santhosh Jha, handed over the relief materials to Major General Tiral de Silva of the Sri Lankan Army. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs, through Minister S.
Jaishankar’s social media post, highlighted the urgency of the aid, which is part of ongoing humanitarian assistance following the floods and landslips triggered by the cyclone. The Indian rescue operations, part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, have included airlifting more than eight tonnes of relief material and evacuating critically ill patients and pregnant women.
The National Disaster Response Force teams deployed in Badulla have been working tirelessly, recovering bodies from under compacted debris and rescuing individuals trapped in floodwaters that have reached depths of 10 feet.
Indian teams are prioritizing the evacuation of the most vulnerable individuals to ensure their safety during this crisis. These efforts underscore the importance of international cooperation in disaster relief, emphasizing how countries can support one another in times of need.