India Strengthens Development Partnership with Sri Lanka in March

India expanded its development partnership with Sri Lanka this month through training programs and exchanges. These initiatives highlight India’s growing role as a key partner in building capacity and expertise in the region.

In March, over 140 Sri Lankan professionals, including parliamentarians, civil servants, engineers, and local government representatives, underwent training at Indian institutions under programs announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A delegation of 15 Sri Lankan lawmakers visited New Delhi and Mumbai to study India’s infrastructure governance. They met with officials like Om Birla and toured institutions such as the National Highways Authority of India and the Delhi Metro.

Meanwhile, 30 engineers from Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board received solar energy training at the NTPC School of Business. Additionally, 25 dairy sector professionals attended cooperative management training in Pune, including visits to the AMUL ecosystem. Another group of 30 local government representatives completed governance training in Hyderabad and Tamil Nadu.

Forty senior civil servants also participated in a disaster-management program at the National Centre for Good Governance. These initiatives reflect India’s commitment to strengthening institutional capacity and technical expertise in Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean region.