Cyclone Ditwa has caused massive devastation in Sri Lanka. Hundreds of people have lost their lives. Many are missing. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, and a large number of people have been left homeless. To support Sri Lanka, the Indian Navy conducted large-scale Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations under Operation Sagar Bandhu. These operations ranged from delivering supplies to providing helicopters or other means for aerial surveys of affected areas, which assisted in rescue and relief efforts.
According to information provided by the Indian Navy on the social media platform X, two of its ships, INS Vikrant (INS Vikrant R 11) and INS Udayagiri (INS Udayagiri), were deployed in Colombo as part of the Sri Lankan Navy’s 75th Anniversary International Fleet Review (IFR-2025). They were tasked with responding to the emerging relief needs as quickly as possible. As part of this effort, the ships delivered relief supplies for distribution to the affected communities.
Helicopters on board were deployed to provide aerial surveillance of the affected areas and augment the ongoing search and rescue operations, leading to the successful rescue of Sri Lankan civilians.
The Indian Navy, augmenting these efforts, also deployed INS Sukanya to Trincomalee on December 1. The ship carried essential relief supplies to strengthen the ongoing assistance to the people of Sri Lanka. Close coordination is underway between Indian and Sri Lankan authorities to ensure timely and effective delivery of essential assistance.
This action also demonstrates India’s commitment to supporting partner countries in times of need, in accordance with the Indian government’s Ocean Vision and Neighborhood First policy. The Navy stated that it is fully committed to providing humanitarian assistance and stands fully with the flood-affected people of Sri Lanka. The service continues to fulfill India’s responsibility as a reliable, trusted, and proactive maritime partner in the region.
