First ever India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group firms up cooperation in renewable energy

The first meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on renewable energy constituted under the MoU on Cooperation in the field of Renewable Energy signed between the Governments of India and Sri Lanka in July 2023 during the visit of the President of Sri Lanka to India, was held on 11 March in Colombo.

The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy from the Indian side Bhupinder Singh Bhalla and Secretary, Ministry of Power and Energy from the Sri Lankan side Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena. The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha also attended the meeting. 

The Indian delegation comprised officials from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Central Electricity Authority of India and the High Commission of India in Colombo. A 17-member delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) representing major renewable energy companies in India also accompanied the official delegation. The Sri Lankan delegation had members from the Ministry of Power and Energy, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

During the meeting, the Indian delegation gave detailed presentation on India’s achievements in the renewable energy sector, citizen-centric schemes offered by the Government of India to encourage investments in the renewable energy sector, the National Green Hydrogen Mission and India’s cross border electricity trade. 

The Sri Lankan side highlighted the present status of the power sector in Sri Lanka and the contribution of renewables in the energy mix. Secretary informed that since the Government of Sri Lanka was working towards achieving an ambitious target of 70% generation through RE by 2030, there existed vast potential for investments by Indian companies. He requested if capacity building support for evaluation of proposals and training to Sri Lankan officials could be extended by the Government of India. 

The Indian side agreed to extend all possible technical assistance to the Government of Sri Lanka in the areas of solar, wind, biomass and grid connection by offering trainings in premier Indian institutions such as National Institute of Solar Energy, National Institute of Wind Energy and National Institute of Bio Energy. 

The Indian delegation led by the Secretary called on the Minister of Power and Energy of Sri Lanka Kanchana Wijesekera on 12 March and discussed the entire gamut of existing collaboration in the renewable energy sector and ways to further expand it. 

On the sidelines of the JWG, the High Commission of India organised a business event- “Energising India-Sri Lanka ties through cooperation in renewable energy” in collaboration with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and CII on 11 March 2024. The event saw participation of industry leaders from India and Sri Lanka in the energy sector. A panel discussion was also held during the event on areas of collaboration between India and Sri Lanka in the renewable energy sector, which was addressed by the Minister of Power and Energy of Sri Lanka, Secretary to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of India, High Commissioner of India and Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy of Sri Lanka. Minister invited more Indian companies to invest in Sri Lanka and help harness the vast renewable energy potential for export to India in the future. 

The visit of the delegation led by Secretary to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of India along with members from Indian industry will impart further momentum to the close cooperation in renewable energy sector between India and Sri Lanka.