India to provide additional $500-mn assistance to Sri Lanka for fuel

Meanwhile China, whose large loans and investments to the island nation led to allegations of debt diplomacy, has said it will provide "emergency humanitarian assistance" to Colombo

India will provide an additional $500 million in financial assistance to Sri Lanka for it to buy fuel, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister told reporters on Wednesday, adding Bangladesh was also willing to postpone a $450 million in swap repayments.

"Assistance by the IMF will take about six months to come to us and it will come in tranches," Sri Lankan Foreign Minister GL Peiris (pictured) said. "During the intervening period, we need to find funds to keep our people supplied with essentials."

Meanwhile China, whose large loans and investments to the island nation led to allegations of debt diplomacy, has said it