India extends support to Sri Lanka amid contaminated fertilizer row with China

The development comes after Chinese organic fertilizer was found to be contaminated with bacteria.

New Delhi: India has sent 100,000 kg of Nano Nitrogen fertilizer to Sri Lanka in the backdrop of the latter barring the use of contaminated Chinese fertilizers. Sri Lanka had barred Chinese organic fertilizer from unloading after it was found to be contaminated with bacteria, a development that has miffed Beijing which was quick to blacklist People's Bank of Sri Lanka in a quid pro quo move. The People's Bank is the second largest commercial bank in Sri Lanka.

The Indian supplies reached on two Indian Air force Globemaster aircrafts on Thursday morning. The supplies were requested by the Sri Lankan Government. A release by the Indian high commission in Colombo said, "The deployment was essentially to support the Government of Sri Lanka's initiative towards Organic farming and to expedite availability of Nano Nitrogen Fertilizer to the Sri Lankan farmers".

The C17 Aircraft operations were coordinated in close liaison with Sri Lanka Air Force, The Indian mission pointed that the close coordination between the two services led to the "quick deployment....and expeditious disembarkation" of IAF aircrafts. The Indian crew was received by Chief of Staff (CO) Sri Lanka Air Force AVM Prasanna Payoe.

Not for the first time, New Delhi has reached out to Colombo as part of its "Neighbourhood First' policy" and 'First Responder'' in the region. Indian Navy and Coast Guard have promptly responded to several crises in Sri Lanka such as containing the fire onboard MT New Diamond and MV XPress Pearl. India also sent 100 T Liquid Medical Oxygen during the fourth wave of Covid pandemic via INS Shakti. Supplies of vaccines and medicines from India to Sri Lanka have been key element of ties amid the COVID-19 crisis. New Delhi has provided 1 million doses of Covishield vaccine to Sri Lanka with 50% of it being gifted by India.