COLOMBO : Building Collaboration in Disaster Preparedness & Response: Consultations between Disaster Management Centre (DMC), GoSL & National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka over 28-30 November 2025 was amongst the worst natural disasters to strike Sri Lanka in recent history. In the wake of the natural disaster, Government of India launched immediate relief efforts under ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’ on 28 November 2025 – the same day as the cyclone made landfall in Sri Lanka. India was the first responder in the crisis in accordance with its Neighbourhood First Policy.
- As part of the support extended under ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’, a 80-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) contingent arrived in Sri Lanka in the early hours of 29 November 2025. They were deployed to different parts of the Island from 29 November to 5 December 2025, where they conducted challenging rescue and relief operations.
- External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar visited Sri Lanka as Special Envoy of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 22-33 December 2025 and announced a comprehensive USD 450 million package to assist the efforts of Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) for rehabilitation and reconstruction post-Ditwah. The package is structured along 5 pillars: Physical Connectivity Infrastructure; Health and Education; Housing and Water; Agriculture; and Disaster Preparedness and Response.
- As part of the pillar on ‘Disaster Response & Preparedness’, several Indian technical teams have visited Sri Lanka in the recent past, aimed at collaboration to strengthen disaster response and preparedness through utilization of digital applications, capacity-building etc. A delegation from Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAD-N) visited Sri Lanka and interacted with Ministry of Digital Economy (MoDE) and other stakeholders and successfully implemented a geo-spatial platform for disaster impact assessment. A team from C-DoT, India’s premier telecom R&D centre, also visited Sri Lanka and successfully conducted a proof-of concept for a mobile-broadcast-based Early Warning System, in collaboration with relevant GoSL entities. A delegation of senior technical experts from Geological Survey of India met with officials from the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and National Building Research Organization (NBRO) to share best practices and explore avenues of collaboration and capacity-building in geotechnical sciences for landslide warning system, mitigation etc.
- As a step forward, on 21st May 2026, a delegation led by Shri Piyush Anand, Director General, NDRF held virtual consultations with a delegation led by Major Gen Sampath Kotuwegoda (Retd.), Director General, DMC. During the consultations, Major Gen Sampath Kotuwegoda (Retd.), Director General, DMC expressed his appreciation for the NDRF team that was deployed in Sri Lanka conducting Search & Rescue operations in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. Shri Piyush Anand, DG NDRF reiterated India’s commitment to work with Sri Lanka, its closest maritime neighbour and highlighted the mutual benefit for both sides through sharing of best practices and capacities. Possible areas of collaboration in the field of disaster response, capacity building were discussed in detail during the meeting.
- The consultations underscore the strong commitment of India to extend support and collaborate with Sri Lanka under its policies of Neighbourhood First and MAHASAGAR.
