High Commission of India
Colombo

PRESS RELEASE

India and Sri Lanka sign MoU to supply 100 additional ambulances to 1990 Suwa Seriya Emergency Ambulance Service

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to supply 100 additional ambulances to 1990 Suwa Seriya National Emergency Ambulance Service with grant assistance of LKR 1725.73 million from Government of India (GoI) was signed and exchanged by High Commissioner of India H.E. Santosh Jha and Secretary of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Anil Jasinghe. The exchange of MoU was held in the presence of India’s Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Hon’ble Jagat Prakash Nadda, and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health & Mass Media, Hon’ble Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, during the former’s visit to Sri Lanka for the1st BIMSTEC Health Ministers’ meeting in Colombo on 11 November 2026. 

2. Following a request from Sri Lankan leadership, this initiative aims to augment the existing Suwa Seriya fleet with 100 additional fully equipped ambulances, improving the emergency response times to under 10 minutes.
   
   
3. Suwa Seriya services were initially launched in July 2016 in Western and Southern Provinces of Sri Lanka under an Indian grant assistance of USD 7.5 million, which included provision of 88 ambulances, their operational expenditure for one year and setting up of an emergency response centre.  In July 2018, it was expanded Island-wide by Indian Prime Minister Hon’ble Narendra Modi and then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Hon’ble Ranil Wickremesinghe,with an additional Indian grant of USD 15.02 million, covering 209 ambulances, their operational expenses and training costs. 
   
   
4. India’s development cooperation in Sri Lanka’s health sector spans several impactful and people centric initiatives, including Covid-19 medical assistance, construction of the Dickoya Hospital, upgradation of Jaffna Teaching Hospital and hospitals in Kilinochchi and Vavuniya, and a new surgical unit at Batticaloa Teaching Hospital. Ongoing projects in this sector include the development of Accident and Emergency facilities at Mannar District General Hospital, a medical ward complex at Mullaitivu District General Hospital, and the provision of medical equipment to Base Hospital, Deniyaya.

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Colombo

11 November 2026