40,000 MT of diesel from India reaches Sri Lanka amid continuing economic crisis

New Dilhi, june 1.  A shipment of 40,000 MT of diesel supplied under Indian assistance reached Colombo port on Monday evening as the island nation continued to grapple with a severe economic crisis and a shortage of essential supplies.

“Powering #SriLanka !!!! A shipment of 40,000 MT of diesel supplied under #Indian assistance reached #Colombo yesterday evening,” the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Another 40,000 MT of petrol under Indian assistance had reached Colombo on May 23, two days after a similar quantity of diesel was supplied under the credit line from India.

On May 22, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay had handed over more than SLR 2 billion worth of rice, milk powder and medicines to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Prof G L Peiris in Colombo.

This was the first incoming consignment under the larger commitment of 40,000 MT of rice, 500 MT of milk powder and medicines by the Government of Tamil Nadu. This commitment translates to more than SLR 5.5 billion, the Indian High Commission had said.

On May 27, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had praised India for extending support amid the continuing economic crisis and expressed a desire to further strengthen ties between the two nations.

“I had a conversation with India’s Minister of Finance @nsitharaman today. I expressed our country’s appreciation for the support India has extended during this difficult period. I look forward to further strengthening ties between our nations,” he tweeted.

Sri Lanka is experiencing its biggest economic crisis since its 1948 independence. Long lines for gasoline, cooking gas, and other commodities have formed as a result of a catastrophic scarcity of foreign reserves, while power outages and skyrocketing food costs have added to the people’s agony.

The economic crisis has sparked a political crisis in Sri Lanka, which led to the resignation of the whole government, including ex-PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the appointment of a new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. India News Networks