Indian naval ship Shakti carrying 100 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen reached Sri Lanka on Sunday to help the island nation combat the Covid-19 pandemic. The oxygen was received by Sri Lanka’s ports minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena at the port. The Indian Navy helped Sri Lanka with the oxygen supply on the request of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The ship had sailed from the city of Visakhapatnam to Sri Lanka on August 19. The Indian High Commission in Colombo said the Indian Navy Ship Shakti reached the island country with ‘wishes’ and ‘goodwill’ from the people of India. Aligned with the Government of India’s ongoing commitment to support Sri Lanka in the fight against COVID-19, INS Shakti sailed to complete its operation Samudra Setu-II. “Camaraderie and coordination between Navies and various other stakeholders in India and Sri Lanka were on display as Sri Lankan Naval Vessel Shakthi with 40 tonnes of LMO on board also commenced its journey from Chennai to Colombo around the same time as INS Shakti. India’s assistance to Sri Lanka during the pandemic has been varied and need-based in nature. Close to 26 tonnes of essential medical supplies were gifted in April-May 2020. Currency swap of USD 400 million was provided in July 2020.
