Sri Lanka High Commissioner’s visit to Mumbai highlights new economic opportunities in SL

Sri Lanka is focusing on leveraging its strategic location to position the country as ‘the hub of the Indian Ocean’, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in New Delhi Chitranganee Wagiswara said at a business gathering attended by over 125 business partners at the World Trade Center in Mumbai. 

Addressing the members of the All India Association of Industries (AIAI) and the World Trade Center, High Commissioner Wagiswara, who was on an official visit to Mumbai from 13-14 June invited Indian entrepreneurs to invest in increasingly vibrant business environment in Sri Lanka. She elaborated on the new reforms and benefits that could be derived by making use of the opportunities available in the business sector.

The President of the AIAI remarked that despite the long conflict, Sri Lanka performed better in many fields including in the field of human capital development and encouraged investors and businesses to make use of the facilities offered in Sri Lanka.

During her visit, the High Commissioner held discussions with the Chief Secretary of the Maharashtra and Principal Secretary of Maharashtra Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the President of the Indian Merchant Chamber (IMC), Mumbai. The Chief Secretary and the High Commissioner discussed the present status of Indo-Sri Lanka relations and developments in the state of Maharastra. 

At her meeting with Secretary, Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the discussion centered on cooperation in the Tourism sector between Sri Lanka and the State of Maharashtra, especially around the ‘Ramayana trail in Sri Lanka and Buddhist Circuit in India’ including in Maharashtra, which are historically significant to Sri Lankan Buddhist.  He invited Sri Lanka to send a delegation to the event scheduled in August to mark the ‘200 years of rediscovery of Ajantha Caves’. 

Sri Lanka’s Consul General in Mumbai Chamari Rodrigo and Consul Vireshika Bandara were associated with the High Commissioner at the meetings.

The High Commissioner participated in a Round Table Luncheon meeting hosted by the Indian Merchant Chamber (IMC) at which she stressed on the prospects for stronger connections between Sri Lanka and India in the areas of trade and investment. 

Referring to the ongoing negotiations, she said that the FTA with India will be deepened. She also referred to the strong relations between two countries at present. The IMC informed that they are happy to host events on Sri Lanka featuring tourism and culture in addition to trade.

The visit concluded with a reception with the Indian business community based in Mumbai, hosted by the Sri Lanka Consulate General.