Shreya Upadhyay
In the last week of December, India announced a $450 million “reconstruction package” for Sri Lanka to help the island nation recover from the devastating impact of Cyclone Ditwah. The cyclone battered Sri Lanka in late 2025 and the Indian Navy undertook comprehensive humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations under Operation Sagar Bandhu. Indian naval ships INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri, which were present in Colombo as part of the 75th Anniversary International Fleet Review (IFR-2025) of the Sri Lanka Navy, were tasked at short notice to provide immediate relief based on emerging requirements ashore. Ship-borne helicopters were deployed for aerial reconnaissance of the affected areas and augmented ongoing search and rescue efforts. INS Sukanya was also deployed, carrying critical relief supplies.
Operation Sagar Bandhu represented the distinct approach to regional engagement that India has been carefully cultivating: being a “respectful responder” rather than an uninvited provider.
For years, India has grappled with the label of “net security provider” – a term first coined by U.S. officials at the 2009 Shangri-La Dialogue to describe India’s emerging role in the Indian Ocean Region. The net security provider framework, while acknowledging India’s growing capabilities, carried uncomfortable implications. It suggested comprehensive coverage, unilateral responsibility, and by extension, a big-brother posture that made smaller neighbors nervous. Pakistan’s warnings about Indian hegemonism, the Maldives’ “India Out” campaign, and Bangladesh’s consistent hedging behavior all reflected regional discomfort with the idea of India as a self-appointed regional policeman.
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