Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has conveyed his heartfelt appreciation to PM Modi, Govt & people of India for sending medicines to his country on a special chartered flight.

President said in a message that the kind and generous support is deeply appreciated in this hour of need.

The remarks came as India today gifted a 10 tonne consignment of essential life saving medicines to Sri Lanka, in view of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

The medicines, requested by Government of Sri Lanka was brought to Colombo by an Air India Special Charter flight.

A statement by Indian high commission in Colombo said despite its own domestic challenges and constraints, India has always believed in sharing its resources and expertise with its friends and partners.

Earlier, India has sent similar supply to Maldives to help fight the COVID crisis.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka recorded five more positive cases today bringing the total number of active cases to 145. Six people have died out of total 183 cases reported and 42 have recovered so far.

The country is under curfew for over two weeks and is being strictly implemented by police and security forces.