Strengthening Ties: Indian High Commissioner Discusses Trade Expansion with Sri Lankan Delegation
Enhancing Economic Collaboration
Colombo: Santosh Jha, the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, engaged with a visiting business group from India to explore avenues for enhancing economic collaboration, highlighting that the bilateral trade has exceeded USD 7 billion.
During a meeting with the 31-member delegation from the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), who are in Sri Lanka from July 8 to 10, Jha expressed optimism about export growth and the strengthening of economic ties, as noted in his post on X.
Delighted to attend the India–Sri Lanka Trade Connect event organised by @IndiainSL, bringing together the FIEO business delegation and leading
business chambers. Pleased to witness the exchange of the FIEO–NCE MoU. Productive B2B networking and discussions reinforced the… pic.twitter.com/GGphy0orfn
— Santosh Jha (@santjha) July 9, 2026
The discussions focused on expanding opportunities for Indian exports and further solidifying the growing trade partnership, particularly in enhancing supply chains.
While addressing the delegation, Jha referenced data from India's Department of Commerce, indicating that the bilateral merchandise trade had reached around USD 7.2 billion for the fiscal year 2025-26.
He noted that Sri Lanka's exports to India have surged by nearly 160% over the past five years.
Jha emphasized the strengthening economic partnership between India and Sri Lanka, stating that India remains Sri Lanka's primary trading partner, the largest foreign investor, and the top source of tourists.
He also pointed out the complementary strengths of both economies, with India serving as a dependable supplier of essential goods like refined petroleum, medicines, and staple foods.
The potential for further trade enhancement and the establishment of robust business-to-business partnerships was underscored.
The visit by the Indian trade delegation reaffirmed the mutual commitment of both nations to bolster bilateral trade, deepen business connections, and expand economic cooperation, as stated by the High Commission.