Sri Lanka seeks fuel from India on an urgent basis

Sri Lanka has sought petrol and diesel from India on an urgent basis.

The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Milinda Moragoda met with the Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs of India Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, today to discuss urgent matters pertaining to bilateral energy cooperation. The meeting was held at the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs in New Delhi.

At the outset, High Commissioner Moragoda briefed Minister Puri on the acute challenges that Sri Lanka is currently facing with regard to the supply and distribution of petroleum products and the severe hardships that the people are undergoing.

While thanking India for the assistance that was extended in the form of lines of credit to import fuel, the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka discussed with Minister Puri the possibility of securing petrol and diesel supplies that are required by Sri Lanka at present on an urgent basis. Minister Puri responded positively in this regard and assured the High Commissioner of all possible support to Sri Lanka at this critical juncture.

The High Commissioner and the Minister also discussed modalities through which India and Sri Lanka could further expand cooperation in the petroleum sector to help overcome the immediate crisis and to ensure the energy security in Sri Lanka.

In this context, High Commissioner Moragoda and Minister Puri discussed ways and means through which Sri Lanka could establish long-term ties in the petroleum, oil, gas and related logistics sectors. (Colombo Gazette)