Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday, May 18, flagged off the first consignment of relief materials to Sri Lanka, which is going through the worst economic crisis in its history. CM Stalin flagged off the ship carrying 9,000 tonnes of rice, 200 tonnes of milk powder and 24 tonnes of essential medicines from the Chennai Port. The total value of the relief materials is estimated to be Rs 45 crore.

Earlier, CM Stalin had said that after receiving a nod from the Union government, Tamil Nadu would send 40,000 tonnes of rice, 500 tonnes of milk powder and life saving drugs to Sri Lanka in batches. He had also appealed to the people to donate on humanitarian grounds so that necessary items can be bought and sent to Sri Lanka.

On April 29, the Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted a resolution urging the Union government to positively consider the state government's request to immediately dispatch food and life-saving medicines to crisis-hit Sri Lanka. Chief Minister MK Stalin who piloted the resolution unanimously passed by the House, including the opposition AIADMK and the BJP, said, "We can't see the development in Sri Lanka as the neighbouring country's internal issue. We need to extend humanitarian aid...help should be prompt, on time."

Responding to the Assembly resolution, Jaishankar stated that the island nation would accept inclusive relief on a government-to-government basis. "The Foreign Secretary had spoken to the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary and highlighted on April 16, that the government of Sri Lanka would be open to humanitarian support on government-to-government basis," the Union Minister said in the letter dated May 1.

Jaishankar asked CM Stalin to direct the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary to coordinate with the government of India for supply and distribution of humanitarian relief material to the Sri Lankan government. "The relief material will be shared with the government of Sri Lanka to be distributed appropriately in the current circumstances," he said.