High Commission of India
Colombo
Press Release
Supply of 11,000 MT of rice to Sri Lanka
A consignment of 11,000 MT rice, which arrived in Sri
Lanka today under the concessional Indian Credit Facility of USD 1
billion, was ceremonially handed over to the Government of Sri Lanka by
officials of the High Commission of India. In addition to today’s
consignment, 5000 MT of rice has been received in the past few days
under the Credit Facility. With this, a total of 16,000 MT rice out of
40,000 MT to be imported by the State Trading Corporation from India,
stands delivered.
2. It may be recalled that
the USD 1 billion Credit Facility Agreement was signed between the
Government of Sri Lanka and the State Bank of India on March 17, 2022.
The delivery of rice was affected within less than one month of signing
the Agreement. The supply is a part of the multi-pronged support
extended from India to Sri Lanka in the last few months, which includes
timely supply of fuel, other forms of economic and forex support etc.
3. The expeditious supply,
before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, is in line with the
understandings reached regarding India’s support for Sri Lanka’s energy
and food security. The assistance comes in the wake of a successful
visit by the External Affairs Minister of India to Sri Lanka last month
during which India’s continued support to the people of Sri Lanka was
reiterated.
