Colombo/New Delhi: Sri Lanka will receive supplies of much-needed petrol and diesel from India today (March 28), the Indian High Commission in Colombo said.
The island nation is facing a grave energy crisis due to the West Asia crisis and closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Sri Lanka has rationed fuel and taken other steps to reduce consumption.
India is sending a combined shipment of 38,000 metric tonnes of diesel and petrol to its southern neighbour as a goodwill gesture. The fuel shipment will reach the Colombo Harbour as a result of a telephone conversation between Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24.
The shipment of 38,000 MT comprising 20,000 MT of diesel and 18,000 MT of petrol will reach Sri Lanka as emergency support through the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) local operation, Lanka IOC (LIOC), PTI reported.
Senior leaders from Sri Lanka also held talks with the external affairs minister S Jaishankar for help on energy sustainability in view of the volatile situation in West Asia.
Fuel rationing was introduced in the country since the outbreak of the war, with public services observing a four-day week as contingency measures.
India is also assisting Sri Lanka in rebuilding infrastructure after the devastating landslides that hit the country in 2025. Apart from sending relief immediately after the calamity, modular bridges are being installed by India to connect remote areas.
