India hands over another consignment of Bailey bridges to Sri Lanka
According to the Ministry of Transport, this third donation includes five modular Bailey bridges valued at over $5 million, following two previous consignments supplied by India
India has recently delivered a third batch of Bailey bridges to Sri Lanka in support of the country's efforts to rebuild roads affected by Cyclone Ditiwah. The High Commission of India in Sri Lanka confirmed the delivery on August 8, stating that it was part of the $450 million post-disaster reconstruction package. The next set of bridges, weighing over 250 metric tonnes, was handed over by the Deputy High Commissioner Maitrey K to the Deputy Minister of Co-operative Development, Sri Lanka, Upali Samarasinghe.
These bridges are expected to be installed by Indian Army engineers to restore vital connectivity and strengthen infrastructure across the island. The third donation includes five modular Bailey bridges valued at over $5 million, building on two previous consignments supplied by India. The $450 million package, announced in December 2025 during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit to Sri Lanka, comprises $350 million in concessional Lines of Credit and $100 million in grants.
Cyclone Ditiwah struck Sri Lanka in November, causing widespread destruction, including floods and landslides that claimed over 640 lives and left 173 people missing. India launched 'Operation Sagar Bandhu' to provide relief and recovery assistance, with a particular focus on restoring connectivity. In December, a parliamentary oversight committee reported that the destruction of roads and bridges due to the cyclone had cost Sri Lanka's Road Development Authority nearly SLR 75 billion.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
