Evolution and Impact of Cyclone Ditwah: UPSC Current Affairs Story Arc

Overview

This arc tracks the lifecycle of Cyclone Ditwah, from its rapid intensification in the Bay of Bengal to the resulting humanitarian crisis in South Asia. In late November 2025, India immediately operationalized 'Operation Sagar Bandhu' to assist Sri Lanka, reinforcing its strategic role as the region's 'First Responder.' While the immediate aftermath saw large-scale evacuations and rising casualties, the story's conclusion shifted to a scientific lens, with climate attribution studies linking the event’s 1,600+ regional death toll to global warming and rapid urbanization. This arc highlights the nexus between regional security, disaster diplomacy, and climate change.

How This Story Evolved

Cyclone Ditwah forms in the Bay of Bengal (Nov 28) → India launches Operation Sagar Bandhu HADR mission (Nov 29) → Severe impact and casualties reported in Sri Lanka and India (Dec 1) → India completes evacuation of nationals from Sri Lanka (Dec 1) → Post-event analysis links the intensity of these floods to climate change (Dec 17)

1. 2025-11-28: Cyclones Ditwah and Senyar Form in Bay of Bengal and Strait of Malacca
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   UPSC Angle: Cyclones Ditwah and Senyar form in Bay of Bengal and Strait of Malacca.

   Key Facts:

   • Cyclone Ditwah
   • Bay of Bengal
   • Tamil Nadu
   • Andhra Pradesh
   • Puducherry
   • Cyclone Senyar
   • Strait of Malacca
   • Andaman & Nicobar Islands
   • Yemen
2. 2025-11-29: Operation Sagar Bandhu: India's HADR Mission to Sri Lanka
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   UPSC Angle: Operation Sagar Bandhu: India's HADR mission to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah.

   Key Facts:

   • Operation Sagar Bandhu: India's HADR mission to Sri Lanka
   • Cause: Cyclone Ditwah floods in Sri Lanka
   • Objective: Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
   • Focus: India's role as first responder in Indian Ocean Region
   • Operation Sagar Bandhu
   • INS Vikrant
   • INS Udaygiri
   • Colombo
   • Cyclone Ditwah
   • Sri Lanka
3. 2025-12-01: Cyclone Ditwah Impact
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   UPSC Angle: Cyclone Ditwah impacted Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.

   Key Facts:

   • 300+ deaths in Sri Lanka
   • 2300+ relocated to relief camps in Tamil Nadu
   • 56,000+ hectares of crops affected
   • Cyclone: Ditwah
   • Affected areas: Southern Tamil Nadu
   • Impact: Flooding, crop damage
4. 2025-12-01: India Completes Evacuation of Stranded Nationals from Sri Lanka
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   UPSC Angle: India completes evacuation of stranded nationals from Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah.

   Key Facts:

   • Event: Evacuation of stranded nationals
   • Location: Sri Lanka
   • Reason: Cyclone Ditwah
5. 2025-12-17: Climate Change and Floods in South Asia
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   UPSC Angle: Climate change intensified floods in South Asia.

   Key Facts:

   • Floods and landslides in South Asia: More than 1,600 people killed in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand

Genesis

Trigger

On November 28, 2025, Cyclone Ditwah formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal, rapidly intensifying from a depression as it moved toward the coasts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry.

Why Now

The event occurred during the North-East Monsoon retreat season, a period when the Bay of Bengal historically sees high cyclogenesis; however, the simultaneous formation of Cyclone Senyar in the Strait of Malacca indicates a hyper-active season.

Historical Context

India has a long-standing tradition of disaster diplomacy in Sri Lanka, most notably during the 2004 Tsunami and earlier HADR missions like 'Operation Gambhir' (2005).

Key Turning Points

1. [2025-11-29] Launch of Operation Sagar Bandhu

   It signaled India's transition from domestic preparedness to regional leadership within 24 hours of the storm's formation.

   Before: Crisis focused solely on the Indian coast. After: Crisis became a bilateral humanitarian mission with diplomatic stakes.

2. [2025-12-01] Official casualty count reaches 300+ in Sri Lanka

   It escalated the event from a severe weather incident to a regional catastrophe.

   Before: Assistance was preventative. After: Mission focused on urgent rescue and relocation of thousands into relief camps.

Key Actors and Institutions

Key Institutions

• Indian Navy (IN)
• Government of Sri Lanka
• India Meteorological Department (IMD)
• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

Key Concepts

Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)

Non-combat military operations intended to alleviate human suffering in the wake of natural or man-made disasters, often used as a tool for soft power.

Current Fact: India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu on Nov 29 to deliver assistance to Sri Lanka after 80+ initial deaths were reported.

Net Security Provider

A state that provides security to other states in a region, often through maritime patrols, capacity building, and being the 'first responder' in crises.

Current Fact: The rapid deployment of Operation Sagar Bandhu within 24 hours of cyclone formation reinforced India's role in the Indian Ocean Region.

Climate Attribution

A field of science that quantifies how much more likely or intense a specific extreme weather event became due to human-induced climate change.

Current Fact: By Dec 17, analysis linked the intensity of the South Asian floods to climate change, following 1,600+ deaths across Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Thailand.

What Happens Next

Current Status

As of December 17, 2025, the focus has shifted from rescue to research, with experts confirming that climate change made the extreme rainfall and subsequent floods significantly more likely and intense.

Likely Next

Upcoming bilateral discussions between India and Sri Lanka on disaster-resilient infrastructure; potential inclusion of 'Operation Sagar Bandhu' case studies in the next BIMSTEC disaster management exercise.

Wildcards

Possible diplomatic friction if regional urbanization policies (blamed for the floods) are contested; emergence of new low-pressure systems in the Arabian Sea complicating ongoing rehabilitation.

Why UPSC Cares

Syllabus Topics

• Important Geophysical phenomena (cyclones)
• India and its neighborhood-relations
• Disaster and disaster management

Essay Angles

• Disaster Diplomacy: India as the first responder in the IOR
• The Human Cost of Urbanization: Why infrastructure is failing the climate test
• Climate Change as a catalyst for regional instability

Prelims Likely: Yes

Mains Likely: Yes

Trend Signal: rising

Exam Intelligence

Previous Year Question Connections

• What is India's maritime initiative SAGAR? — Operation Sagar Bandhu is a direct operational manifestation of the SAGAR policy (Security and Growth for All in the Region).
• Classification and naming of tropical cyclones in different oceans. — Cyclone Ditwah was named by Yemen, following the WMO/ESCAP naming protocol for the North Indian Ocean.

Prelims Angles

• Naming of Cyclone Ditwah (Yemen) and the WMO/ESCAP protocol.
• Specific nomenclature: Operation Sagar Bandhu as a mission to Sri Lanka.
• Geographic focus: Simultaneous cyclogenesis in Bay of Bengal (Ditwah) and Strait of Malacca (Senyar).
• Agricultural impact: 56,000+ hectares affected in India.

Mains Preparation

Sample Question: Analyze the role of India as a 'first responder' in the Indian Ocean Region. How do operations like Sagar Bandhu serve India's 'Neighborhood First' policy while addressing the challenges posed by climate change?

Answer Structure: Intro: Define HADR and India's SAGAR policy → Body 1: Case study of Cyclone Ditwah/Operation Sagar Bandhu (rapid deployment, evacuation, aid) → Body 2: Strategic benefits (goodwill, counter-balancing other powers, maritime security) → Body 3: The climate change challenge (attribution studies, rising frequency of extreme events) → Conclusion: Moving from reactive HADR to proactive climate resilience.

Essay Topic: Nature's Fury and Nations' Duty: The Evolution of Disaster Diplomacy in the 21st Century.

Textbook Connections

Key Takeaway

Cyclone Ditwah serves as a textbook example of how climate-driven disasters catalyze Indian disaster diplomacy, moving India closer to its goal of being the undisputed first responder in the Indian Ocean.

All Events in This Story (5 items)

1. 2025-11-28 [Geography] — Cyclones Ditwah and Senyar Form in Bay of Bengal and Strait of Malacca
   Cyclone Ditwah has formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal, moving towards Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry, while simultaneously, Cyclone Senyar intensified in the Strait of Malacca, bringing heavy rain to Andaman & Nicobar Islands and South India. Cyclone Ditwah rapidly intensified from a depression and was named by Yemen.
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   UPSC Angle: Cyclones Ditwah and Senyar form in Bay of Bengal and Strait of Malacca.

   Key Facts:

   • Cyclone Ditwah
   • Bay of Bengal
   • Tamil Nadu
   • Andhra Pradesh
   • Puducherry
   • Cyclone Senyar
   • Strait of Malacca
   • Andaman & Nicobar Islands
   • Yemen
2. 2025-11-29 [International Relations] — Operation Sagar Bandhu: India's HADR Mission to Sri Lanka
   India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to deliver urgent humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah caused severe floods and over 80 deaths. This rapid Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission reinforces India's role as the first responder in the Indian Ocean Region, strengthens diplomatic ties, and demonstrates India's expanding capability in HADR logistics and naval deployment.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Operation Sagar Bandhu: India's HADR mission to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah.

   Key Facts:

   • Operation Sagar Bandhu: India's HADR mission to Sri Lanka
   • Cause: Cyclone Ditwah floods in Sri Lanka
   • Objective: Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
   • Focus: India's role as first responder in Indian Ocean Region
   • Operation Sagar Bandhu
   • INS Vikrant
   • INS Udaygiri
   • Colombo
   • Cyclone Ditwah
   • Sri Lanka
3. 2025-12-01 [Geography] — Cyclone Ditwah Impact
   Cyclone Ditwah caused significant damage in Sri Lanka and impacted Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in India. In Sri Lanka, there were over 300 deaths and 300 missing persons. In India, over 2300 people were moved to relief camps in Tamil Nadu, and over 56,000 hectares of crops were affected.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Cyclone Ditwah impacted Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.

   Key Facts:

   • 300+ deaths in Sri Lanka
   • 2300+ relocated to relief camps in Tamil Nadu
   • 56,000+ hectares of crops affected
   • Cyclone: Ditwah
   • Affected areas: Southern Tamil Nadu
   • Impact: Flooding, crop damage
4. 2025-12-01 [International Relations] — India Completes Evacuation of Stranded Nationals from Sri Lanka
   India has completed the evacuation of its citizens stranded in Sri Lanka and is increasing its assistance to Colombo for rescue operations related to Cyclone Ditwah.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India completes evacuation of stranded nationals from Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah.

   Key Facts:

   • Event: Evacuation of stranded nationals
   • Location: Sri Lanka
   • Reason: Cyclone Ditwah
5. 2025-12-17 [Environment & Ecology] — Climate Change and Floods in South Asia
   Climate change made the rainfall behind the “deadly” floods and landslides in parts of south Asia earlier this month more likely to occur and more intense. Deforestation and rapid urbanisation also contributed to the extreme flooding that killed more than 1,600 people in several countries, including Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Climate change intensified floods in South Asia.

   Key Facts:

   • Floods and landslides in South Asia: More than 1,600 people killed in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand