India has handed over its third consignment of Bailey bridges to Sri Lanka to support the reconstruction of rural roads and restore connectivity in areas severely damaged by Cyclone Ditwah.
The latest consignment, weighing more than 250 metric tonnes, was handed over on August 8 by India’s Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Maitrey, to Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Co-operative Development Upali Samarasinghe.
The High Commission of India in Sri Lanka said the bridges will help reconnect communities and restore vital infrastructure. Indian Army engineers will install the modular bridges at locations across the island.
According to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Transport, the third consignment comprises five modular Bailey bridges valued at more than $5 million. It follows two earlier consignments supplied by India as part of its broader post-disaster reconstruction assistance.
India announced a $450 million post-disaster reconstruction package for Sri Lanka on December 23, 2025, during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to the country. The package comprises $350 million in concessional Lines of Credit and $100 million in grants.
Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka in November, triggered widespread flooding and landslides, killing more than 640 people and leaving 173 missing. The disaster caused extensive damage to roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu on November 28 to provide emergency relief, recovery assistance and support the restoration of connectivity in Sri Lanka.
The scale of the infrastructure damage has been significant. Sri Lanka’s Road Development Authority was reportedly told in December that it had incurred losses of nearly SLR 75 billion from the destruction of roads and bridges caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
The latest delivery of Bailey bridges is expected to accelerate the restoration of road connectivity, particularly in rural and disaster-affected areas, while strengthening India-Sri Lanka cooperation in post-disaster reconstruction.
