New Delhi, Dec 8: India has deployed four additional naval vessels to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, its ongoing mission to provide urgent search-and-rescue and humanitarian relief to areas devastated by the recent cyclone.

The ships, INS Gharial, LCU 54, LCU 51 and LCU 57, are carrying 1,000 tons of essential HADR supplies for delivery across affected coastal regions.

Earlier in the operation, INS Vikrant, INS Udaygiri and INS Sukanya had provided emergency assistance, including helicopter-borne search-and-rescue missions and the delivery of critical aid.

The three Landing Craft Utility vessels reached Colombo on the morning of December 7 and handed over relief material to Sri Lankan authorities.

INS Gharial is expected to dock at Trincomalee on December 8 to continue the hum

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