India Launches Lifeline Mission in SriLanka amid Cyclone Ditwah 

India has significantly intensified its humanitarian and rescue operations in Sri Lanka as the island nation struggles to cope with the widespread devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. 

Catastrophic floods and landslides have left at least 390 people dead and 352 still missing, with authorities warning that the toll may rise as access improves to remote and battered districts.

Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, India has expanded its emergency assistance, reaffirming its role as Sri Lanka’s “First Responder.” 

A C-130J aircraft of the Indian Air Force delivered nearly 10 tonnes of critical medical supplies, including BHISHM Modular Trauma Cubes, along with an IAF medical team deployed to assist overwhelmed local hospitals. 

In parallel, INS Sukanya docked at Trincomalee, carrying 12 tonnes of relief materials for immediate distribution in the hardest-hit eastern regions. Rescue efforts have surged across the country, with Indian and Sri Lankan personnel working in joint operations. 

IAF MI-17 helicopters evacuated at least 96 stranded residents, among them three critically injured survivors, from communities engulfed by rising waters. The air crews also airdropped more than 5.5 tonnes of food and medical supplies to villages entirely cut off by landslides.

On the ground, India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) continued its high-risk missions, rescuing 43 people, including infants, pregnant women, and elderly citizens from inaccessible zones where roads have been washed away. 

In Badulla, officers also recovered the body of one victim buried beneath more than five feet of debris as search operations persisted in unstable terrain.

With major rivers still swollen and the threat of renewed flooding looming, India’s Operation Sagar Bandhu remains fully mobilised. 

Reinforcements and sustained logistical support are expected to continue as Sri Lanka navigates one of the most perilous disasters in its recent history.