INTERNATIONAL DESK: In continuation of India’s assistance to Sri Lanka in fighting its economic crisis, another 40,000 metric tons of diesel consignment under Indian assistance reached Colombo on Thursday.

India has been extending a helping hand to its neighbouring country, which has been gripped by a severe economic crisis. India has sent assistance worth several billion US dollars to rescue the money-strapped Sri Lankan government accompanied by shiploads of humanitarian aid, cooking gas, large quantities of fuel, and medicinal supplies.

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier said that India has provided all possible support to Sri Lanka and will continue to stand with the people of the neighbouring country. PM Modi had said that India “will support democracy, stability and economic recovery,” in the crisis-hit island nation.

India is helping Colombo financially so that it can meet some of the more immediate needs and help stabilise its domestic economy.

Since March this year, Sri Lanka has been in the grip of an economic crisis unparalleled since the country’s independence which sparked severe protests and political unrest leading to the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s brother Mahinda Rajapaksa from the prime minister’s post earlier this month and the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country’s prime minister.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has decided to import 50,000 metric tons of rice under the Indian loan assistance programme, to check any abnormal rise in rice prices, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Thursday.

The decision was taken after a discussion was held at the Prime Minister’s Office to allocate the necessary funds for this purpose to the State Trading Corporation under the Indian Loan Assistance Program, according to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Media Division.

The decision is expected to avert a possible rice shortage in the future and curb the abnormal rise in rice prices in the crisis-hit island country.

Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security Nalin Fernando, Parliamentarian Nimal Lansa, Former Minister Sagala Ratnayake, Secretary to the Prime Minister Saman Ekanayake and other public and private sector officials were present at the discussion held at the Prime Minister’s Office on the Indian loan assistance program. (ANI)