When Cyclone Ditwah tore through Sri Lanka in November 2025, it left behind destruction and cut communities off from each other, severing the roads and bridges that people depend on for their day-to-day lives.
Six months later, the Indian Army’s 48-member Engineer Task Force (ETF) has completed its response, constructing seven Bailey bridges across cyclone-hit regions under Operation Sagar Bandhu, working in close coordination with Sri Lankan authorities and the Sri Lankan Army Engineers.
Lieutenant Colonel Anuj Singh, the Commanding Officer of the ETF, said the Indian contingent was inducted “on the war footing” almost immediately after the cyclone struck the island nation, ANI reported on Tuesday (May 26).
“The important mandate conveyed to the Engineer Task Force by the Sri Lankan authorities was the restoration of vital lines of communication,” Lt Col Singh said.
The bridges were constructed at strategically important locations, including Kilinochchi, Kandy, Badulla and Chilaw, where floods and landslides had damaged roads and cut off access routes entirely.
“One important aspect that we have taken into consideration was to deliver the strategically important line of communication at the earliest because the local population and the people were severely affected,” he said.
The mission also marked a first in how it was executed. According to Lt Col Singh, the Indian Army deployed new-generation equipment—heavy-payload drones, remote-controlled boats and laser range finders—for the first time in an overseas humanitarian operation, enabling the team to acquire precise data and complete work within a compressed timeline despite considerable challenges on the ground.
The task force was airlifted to Sri Lanka aboard an Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft, carrying specialised engineering equipment and bridging resources.
Throughout the six-month deployment, Lt Col Singh said Indian engineers worked “shoulder to shoulder” with their Sri Lankan counterparts and local authorities.
“The appreciation we received not only from the Sri Lankan authorities and Army but also from local people was overwhelming,” he said.
Operation Sagar Bandhu concluded on May 24, 2026, with an appreciation ceremony hosted by the Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers.