Indian High Commissioner hands over 125 Mahindra SUVs to Sri Lanka

The SUVs were provided as part of India's ongoing efforts to support the cash-strapped island nation and address the severe mobility restriction issues faced by the police due to the non-availability of vehicles. These vehicles with state-of-the-art facilities will help address Sri Lanka’s requirements and augment capacities across the country.

New Delhi: Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay handed over 125 SUVs manufactured by India's Mahindra and Mahindra Company to the Sri Lankan police on Thursday. The SUVs were handed over to Sri Lanka's Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles Sri Lanka police in an official ceremony. The ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Ministry, including Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security S Hettiarachchi and Inspector General of Police CD Wickramarathne.

These 125 SUVs constitute the first batch of the planned supply of 500 vehicles for Sri Lankan Law Enforcement agencies and Armed Forces under an existing Line of Credit of US$ 100 mn extended by the Government of India to Sri Lanka. The SUVs were provided as part of India's ongoing efforts to support the cash-strapped island nation and address the severe mobility restriction issues faced by the police due to the non-availability of vehicles. These vehicles with state-of-the-art facilities will help address Sri Lanka’s requirements and augment capacities across the country.

India and Sri Lanka enjoy a multi-faceted and multi-sectoral partnership. As part of its 'Neighbourhood First' policy, India has extended multi-pronged assistance to Sri Lanka over the last 12 months to help the country tide over its worst economic and humanitarian crisis since its independence from Great Britain in 1948.

This assistance continues even in the current situation. Till date, Lines of Credit worth about US$ 3.2 billion have been extended to Sri Lanka in diverse sectors, including railways, infrastructure, defence, renewable energy, supply of petroleum and fertilizers. The Sri Lankan government in May appointed international legal and debt advisors for debt restructuring after the country declared its global debt default for the first time in history. Separately, in March 2022, the Government of India also extended a concessional Credit Facility of USD 1 billion to GOSL through the State Bank of India to supply essential items like food, medicines and fuel.