New Delhi: As Sri Lanka reels under a severe economic and energy crisis, India has supplied another 40,000 MT consignment of diesel to Sri Lanka to help ease the fuel shortage in the country.

The High Commission of India in Sri Lanka informed about the current consignment on Twitter. “Pumping diesel into #SriLanka!!! Another 40,000 MT consignment of diesel under the credit line from #India reached #Colombo today,” tweeted India High Commission in Sri Lanka.

Further, another consignment carrying rice, milk powder, and medicines worth more than SLR 2 billion from India is scheduled to reach Colombo on Sunday. 

The consignment was flagged off from Chennai by Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin. Indian High Commission also tweeted: “People of #India, standing by their bretheren in #SriLanka. Rice, milk powder and medicines worth more than SLR 2 billion is scheduled to reach #Colombo on Sunday. The consignment was flagged off from #Chennai by CM of Tamil Nadu @mkstalin on Wednesday.”

Moreover, India has promised to provide over $3 billion to the debt-ridden island country in loans, credit swaps, and also credit lines since the beginning of the year. Sri Lanka is going through the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. 

A crippling shortage of foreign reserves has led to long queues for fuel, cooking gas and other essentials while power cuts and soaring food prices heaped misery on the people. 

The economic crisis has also triggered a political unrest in Sri Lanka and a demand for the resignation of the powerful Rajapaksas. In keeping with neighbourhood First policy, India has pledged nearly USD 3 billion to cash-strapped Colombo through currency swaps, credit lines for essential goods and repayment of loans since January 2022 to help Sri Lanka. Read at livemint