Two 10-member business delegations from India, representing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), visited Colombo to participate in the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026, organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 12–13.
The visits provided an opportunity to explore trade and investment opportunities in Sri Lanka, strengthen business-to-business linkages and promote greater economic engagement between India and Sri Lanka.
The CII delegation, comprising representatives from diverse sectors including healthcare and pharmaceuticals, solar energy, information technology, manufacturing and footwear, held a series of meetings with key stakeholders in Sri Lanka. These included Minister of Energy – Hon. Anura Karunathilaka, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development – Chathuranga Abeysinghe and senior officials of the Board of Investment (BOI) and Export Development Board (EDB) of Sri Lanka. Discussions focused on investment opportunities, trade prospects and potential business collaborations across sectors of mutual interest.
The Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry delegation, representing sectors such as healthcare, logistics, building materials, business consultancy, information technology and tourism, also held a series of engagements with Sri Lankan stakeholders. The delegation met Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development – Chathuranga Abeysinghe and senior officials of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka. The delegation also held B2B meetings with various Sri Lankan companies to explore potential business partnerships and opportunities for collaboration. As part of its visit, the delegation toured the manufacturing facilities of Nestlé and Elephant House to gain first-hand exposure to industrial operations in Sri Lanka.
Both delegations also called on the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka – Mr. Santosh Jha. During the interactions, the High Commissioner shared his perspectives on the Sri Lankan economy and the growing opportunities for Indian businesses in Sri Lanka. He encouraged the visiting companies to deepen their engagement with Sri Lankan counterparts, establish business partnerships and explore opportunities for trade and investment.
The visit of the Cochin Chamber delegation also forms part of the High Commission’s ongoing efforts to strengthen economic and commercial engagement with Sri Lanka at the regional and sub-national levels, by facilitating greater interaction between regional business chambers and enterprises from different parts of India and their Sri Lankan counterparts. Business delegations from the South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) and the Tamil Nadu State Council of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) had also visited Sri Lanka earlier this year.
The Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on, on the sidelines of the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026, to strengthen trade and business cooperation between Kerala and Sri Lanka. The MoU was signed by Mr. C. S. Kartha, Past President and Executive Committee Member of the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Mr. Krishan Balendra, President of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. The MoU envisages enhanced business engagement, with a view to promoting closer commercial ties and mutually beneficial business opportunities.
The visits of the two delegations underscore the continued efforts to strengthen India–Sri Lanka economic and commercial ties through enhanced business-to-business engagements and institutional partnerships.
