Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya will arrive in India on October 16 for a two-day official visit, marking her first trip to India since assuming office. The visit, scheduled to last until October 18, underscores a renewed phase in India–Sri Lanka bilateral engagement.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Amarasuriya is set to hold talks with senior Indian political leaders to review ongoing cooperation and explore new avenues in areas such as trade, education, innovation, and maritime security. The MEA described the trip as a reaffirmation of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and its ‘MAHASAGAR Vision’ for oceanic regional cooperation.

During her visit, Amarasuriya will deliver the keynote address at the NDTV World Summit, jointly organised by NDTV and the Chintan Research Foundation in New Delhi. Her engagements also include visits to IIT-Delhi and NITI Aayog, where she will explore partnerships in research, higher education, and technological innovation. As Sri Lanka’s Education Minister, these linkages are expected to facilitate deeper academic and scientific cooperation.

A distinguished alumna of Hindu College, University of Delhi, Prime Minister Amarasuriya will make a nostalgic return to her alma mater. The college has planned a special event beginning with a Guard of Honour by 16 NCC cadets, a tree plantation ceremony, and cultural performances by students at the Sanganeria Auditorium, marking a symbolic celebration of Indo-Lankan educational ties.

The visiting leader will also attend a business event aimed at expanding trade and commercial linkages between India and Sri Lanka. Economic cooperation, including private sector collaboration and infrastructure investment, is expected to feature prominently in her discussions with Indian counterparts.

The visit follows recent engagements between Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi and Prime Minister Amarasuriya in Colombo in September. Those talks emphasised enhancing maritime cooperation and defence coordination between the two nations. Both sides reaffirmed their shared vision of peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) through trust, joint exercises, and information-sharing mechanisms.

Amarasuriya had highlighted the strategic significance of the Indian Ocean and called for collective efforts to counter maritime threats, including illegal fishing, narcotics smuggling, and terrorism at sea. She also advocated strengthening search and rescue missions, as well as training partnerships between the two navies.

This visit also builds upon the outcomes of the April 2025 Colombo summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, where both sides signed a series of key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).

These covered defence cooperation, the Trincomalee energy hub, HVDC interconnection for power exchange, digital transformation initiatives, health collaboration, and pharmacopoeial cooperation.

Prime Minister Modi had also announced a comprehensive capacity-building programme supporting 700 Sri Lankans annually, alongside India’s grant assistance for the restoration of the Thirukoneswaram temple in Trincomalee, the Sita Eliya temple in Nuwara Eliya, and the Sacred City Complex in Anuradhapura. Additionally, India will loan sacred Buddhist relics to Sri Lanka for International Vesak Day 2025, symbolizing enduring spiritual and cultural bonds.

Prime Minister Amarasuriya’s maiden visit reflects the continuing momentum in India–Sri Lanka relations, marked by cooperation in education, defence, trade, and cultural exchange. It is expected to further consolidate mutual trust and pave the way for sustainable partnership in the Indian Ocean Region under the collective vision of stability and prosperity.

Based On ANI Report