PM Harini highlights multiple fronts to extend India – SL relations
Looking forward to the continuation of India-Sri Lanka ties, Prime Minister – Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said this can be extended on multiple frontiers, including trade routes, with updation of the 37-year-old free trade agreement, regional cooperation, energy security, including renewable energy development, and strategically, the security in the Indian Ocean.
Speaking at the NDTV World Summit in India yesterday (Oct. 17), she emphasized that “While Sri Lanka’s political history is marked by persistent popular mobilization, the electoral processes have continued.”
“It is very important that India-Sri Lanka relations, especially in trade and investment, must not be seen as a zero-sum game,” she said.
“Today, India is Sri Lanka’s largest trading partner, largest source of tourism and a leading investor,” she said, pointing to the “little-known fact” about Sri Lankan companies’ investment in India, especially in the apparel sector that provides employment to about 20,000 Indians, 18,000 of them rural women from Andhra Pradesh.
Sri Lanka, she said, seeks to develop a maritime hub for the Indian Ocean region, offering a cost-efficient gateway for global trade. “As a strategically located island nation, (20:24) Sri Lanka is well-positioned to complement neighboring countries’ trade and development ambitions. Enhanced trade routes and port infrastructure can drive economic benefits not only for Sri Lanka, but for the broader region as well,” she said.
Moreover, as India positions itself as a global manufacturing hub, Sri Lanka could serve a complementary production base, Amarasuriya said, particularly in sectors such as textiles, electronics, and food processing.
Talking of a big push in the tourism sector too, she said it offers “opportunities from hospitality to infrastructure to creating new and exciting experiences for visitors from around the world”.Meanwhile, responding to a question about balancing her role as both a social scientist and a political leader, the Prime Minister noted that the world can be seen differently depending on one’s perspective.
When asked how she interprets such opportunities as a university student, she remarked that success comes from embracing challenges and taking risks.
The NDTV Global Summit featured participation from prominent international leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
(Excerpts: NDTV)
