The India–Sri Lanka Trade Diplomacy Summit, hosted by the World Trade Center Mumbai and the All India Association of Industries (AIAI), in partnership with the Consulate General of Sri Lanka, convened top diplomats, policymakers, and business leaders at Centrum, WTC Mumbai. Conducted in a hybrid format, the summit focused on enhancing bilateral trade and investment under the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA), exploring collaboration across sectors such as spices, tourism, technology, investment, and digital transformation.
The event began with the national anthems and a symbolic diya-lighting ceremony, accompanied by soulful flute music. Dr. Vijay Kalantri, Chairman of WTC Mumbai and President of AIAI, and Ms. Shirani Ariyarathne, Acting Consul General of Sri Lanka, exchanged warm felicitations. In his keynote address, Dr. Kalantri highlighted the current $5 billion trade volume and called for joint efforts to double it. He stressed the importance of leveraging regional trade platforms like SAARC, APTA, ISFTA, and SAFTA to deepen economic ties.
Ms. Ariyarathne emphasized ISFTA’s potential to enhance regional integration and bridge trade gaps. She urged Indian businesses to explore unique Sri Lankan exports such as Ceylon cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, essential oils, batik textiles, jewelry, and electronics, noting that Sri Lanka’s GSP+ status in the EU can be a strategic advantage for Indian exporters.
Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, discussed Sri Lanka’s diversification into high-growth sectors like ICT, renewable energy, and food processing. He announced a Sri Lankan delegation would attend the Design Mumbai Expo in November 2025 and invited Indian participation in Sri Lanka Expo 2026, returning after 13 years.
Tourism also featured prominently, with Mr. Buddhika Hewawasam of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority announcing a Travel Fair from July 31 to August 2. He cited India as Sri Lanka’s top tourism source market, with over 10% growth, and shared plans for expanding flight connectivity and reaching 3 million sustainable tourist arrivals.
Ms. Priya Pansare announced that WTC Mumbai and AIAI will lead a business delegation to Sri Lanka for the Industry 2025 Expo, scheduled from September 18–21, 2025 at BMICH, Colombo, showcasing over 400 exhibitors.
In the tech sphere, Mr. Sachindra Samarasundara from the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka previewed Disrupt Asia 2025, featuring a venture competition, innovation festival, and a $50 million fund of funds. Startups from IIT Madras are among those expected to participate.
Mr. Suman Udayakumaran from SriLankan Airlines emphasized Sri Lanka’s geographic advantage, urging improved air connectivity to meet India’s growing aviation demands efficiently.
The summit concluded with a strong resolve to boost bilateral cooperation in trade, tourism, technology, and digital innovation. Guided by ISFTA, both nations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional integration and shared economic growth in the Indo-Pacific.
