New Delhi: India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay, on Sunday said New Delhi’s prompt assistance to the people of the island nation at this hour has been appreciated by all sections of the society.
“India’s prompt assistance to the people of Sri Lanka at this hour has been appreciated by all sections of the Sri Lankan society,” Baglay told ANI.
The High Commissioner said India has responded to urgent requests from Sri Lanka with promptness.
“Since January this year, support from India to Sri Lanka exceeds US dollars 2.5 billion,” he added.
Baglay also lauded the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for coming to the rescue of Sri Lanka amid the ongoing economic crisis.
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“Besides, the RBI has extended a currency swap of US dollars 400 million and deferred payments owed by Central Bank of Sri Lanka owed to RBI under the Asian Clearance Union worth several hundred million dollars,” he said.
Earlier on Saturday, a consignment of 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel from India reached Sri Lanka.
“More fuel supplies delivered by #India to #SriLanka! A consignment of 40,000 MT of diesel under #Indian assistance through Line of Credit of $500 mn was handed over by (the) High Commissioner to Hon’ble Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge in #Colombo today,” the Indian High Commission tweeted.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government blocked social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram, after midnight on Sunday, April 3, 2022 (local time), confirmed NetBlocks, a watchdog organisation that monitors cybersecurity and the governance of the Internet.
The incident comes as the government declared a state of emergency, imposing a 36-hour curfew to counter widespread protests over the economic crisis, a report published by NetBlocks said.
The curfew was imposed ahead of a planned anti-government rally over the worst economic crisis in the island nation.