High Commission of India
Colombo
India - Sri Lanka Joint Statement: Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future
1. Prime Minister of India His Excellency Shri Narendra Modi and
President of Sri Lanka His Excellency Anura Kumara Disanayaka had
comprehensive and fruitful discussions at their meeting in New Delhi
on 16 December 2024, during the latter’s State Visit to the
Republic of India.
2. The two leaders reaffirmed that the India-Sri Lanka bilateral
partnership is underpinned by deep-rooted cultural and civilizational
ties, geographical proximity and the people-to-people relations.
3. President Disanayaka conveyed his deep appreciation for the
unwavering support extended by India to the people of Sri Lanka during
and after the unprecedented economic crisis in 2022. Recalling his
profound commitment to fulfilling the aspirations of the Sri Lankan
people for a prosperous future, greater opportunities, and sustained
economic growth, he looked forward to India’s continued support
for the achievement of these objectives. Prime Minister Modi assured
President Disanayaka of India’s full commitment in this regard,
in keeping with the special place Sri Lanka occupies in India’s
‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and ‘SAGAR’
vision.
4. Both leaders acknowledged that bilateral ties had deepened over
the years and contributed significantly to the socio-economic
development of Sri Lanka. Underscoring the potential for further
cooperation, both leaders affirmed their commitment to progress the
relationship between India and Sri Lanka to a mutually beneficial
comprehensive partnership for the well-being of the peoples of the two
countries.
Political Exchanges
5. Acknowledging the increased political interactions in the last
decade and their contribution towards deepening the bilateral ties,
both leaders agreed to further intensify political engagements at
leadership and ministerial levels.
6. The two leaders also underscored the importance of regular
parliamentary level exchanges to promote democratic values and share
expertise on their institutional best practices.
Development Cooperation
7. The two leaders acknowledged the positive and impactful role of
India’s development assistance to Sri Lanka that has
significantly contributed to its socioeconomic growth. President
Disanayaka appreciated India’s continued support for the
implementation of projects despite the ongoing debt restructuring. He
further acknowledged India’s decision to extend grant assistance
for projects that were originally undertaken through Lines of Credit,
thereby reducing the debt burden of Sri Lanka.
8. Reaffirming their commitment to work closely in further
intensifying people oriented development partnership, both leaders
agreed to:
i. Work together for the timely completion of ongoing projects
such as Phase III & IV of Indian Housing Project, 3 (three)
Islands Hybrid Renewable Energy Project and High Impact Community
Development Projects across Sri Lanka;
ii. Extend full support towards timely implementation of projects for
the Indian Origin Tamil community, Eastern Province, and solar
electrification of religious places in Sri Lanka;
iii. Identify new projects and areas of cooperation for development
partnership, in accordance with the needs and priorities of the
Government of Sri Lanka.
Training and Capacity Building
9. Underlining India’s role in extending capacity building
support to Sri Lanka and factoring the need for customized training
and capacity building in different fields in Sri Lanka, the
leaders:
i. Agreed to organise focused training of 1500 Sri Lankan civil
servants across ministries and departments over a period of five years
through the National Centre for Good Governance in India; and
ii. Committed to explore further training programmes for Sri Lankan
officials in civil, defence and legal domains among other areas, in
keeping with the requirements of Sri Lanka.
Debt Restructuring
10.
President Disanayaka thanked Prime Minister Modi for India’s
support in stabilizing the Sri Lankan economy through unparalleled and
multi-pronged assistance including emergency financing and forex
support worth USD 4 billion. He acknowledged India’s crucial
assistance in Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process, including
as co-chair of the Official Creditors’ Committee (OCC), as being
instrumental in finalising the debt restructuring discussions in a
timely manner. He further thanked the Government of India for
extending financial assistance of USD 20.66 mn to settle payments due
from Sri Lanka for projects completed under existing Lines of Credit
thereby significantly reducing the debt burden at a critical
time.Underscoring the close and special ties with Sri Lanka, Prime
Minister Modi reiterated India’s consistent support to the
country in times of need and in its quest for economic recovery and
stability, and prosperity for its people. The leaders instructed
officials to finalize discussions on the bilateral MoU on Debt
Restructuring.
11. Both leaders agreed that a strategic shift from debt-driven
models towards investment led partnerships across different sectors
would ensure a more sustainable path to economic recovery, development
and prosperity in Sri Lanka.
Building Connectivity
12.
The leaders underlined the importance of greater connectivity and
acknowledged the presence of complementarities between the two
economies which could be harnessed for economic development and growth
of both countries. In this regard:
i. While expressing satisfaction at the resumption of the
passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai, they
agreed that officials should work towards the early recommencement of
the passenger ferry service between Rameshwaram and Talaimannar.
ii. Explore the possibility of jointly working on rehabilitation of
Kankesanthurai port in Sri Lanka, which will be implemented with grant
assistance from the Government of India.
Energy Development
13. Emphasizing the need for reliable, affordable and timely energy
resources for ensuring energy security and meeting basic needs of the
people, both leaders underscored the importance of strengthening
cooperation in the energy sector and facilitation towards timely
implementation of ongoing energy cooperation projects between India
and Sri Lanka. In this regard, the leaders agreed to:
i. Take steps towards the implementation of the solar power project
in Sampur and further augment its capacity as per the requirements of
Sri Lanka.
ii. Continue consideration of the several proposals which are in
different stages of discussion including:
(a) supply of LNG from India to Sri Lanka.
(b) establishment of a high-capacity power grid interconnection
between India and Sri Lanka.
(c) cooperation amongst India, Sri Lanka and UAE to implement a
multi-product pipeline from India to Sri Lanka for supply of
affordable and reliable energy.
(d) joint development of offshore wind power potential in Palk
Straits, while prioritizing environmental protection including fauna
and flora.
14. Acknowledging the ongoing cooperation in the development of
Trincomalee Tank Farms, both leaders decided to support the
development of Trincomalee as a regional energy and industrial
hub.
People-Centric Digitization
15. Acknowledging the successful experience of India in
people-centric digitization, which has helped in improving governance,
transforming service delivery, ushering transparency, and contributing
to social welfare, President Disanayaka conveyed his
government’s interest in exploring the establishment of similar
systems in Sri Lanka with Indian assistance. Prime Minister Modi
conveyed India’s readiness in fully supporting Sri Lanka’s
efforts in this regard. In this context, the two leaders agreed
to:
i. Expedite implementation of Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity
(SLUDI) project to aid the country in its efforts to improve delivery
of government services to the public;
ii. Collaborate on avenues to fully roll out Digital Public
Infrastructure (DPI) in Sri Lanka with assistance from India.
iii. Establish a Joint Working Group to explore the implementation of
a DPI stack in Sri Lanka based on experience and systems already
established in India, including advancing ongoing technical
discussions on the implementation of DigiLocker in Sri Lanka.
iv. Promote digital financial transactions by extending the use of
UPI digital payments for the benefit of both countries and in keeping
with payment systems related regulatory guidelines of both
countries.
v. Continue bilateral exchanges to garner learnings from
India’s Aadhaar platform, GeM portal, PM Gati Shakti digital
platform, digitized customs and other taxation procedures, with a view
to exploring the benefits of establishing equivalent systems in Sri
Lanka.
Education and Technology
16.
With a view to supporting human-resource development and promoting
innovation and technology in Sri Lanka, the two leaders agreed
to:
i. Seek to expand collaboration in research and development in
sectors such as agriculture, aquaculture, digital economy, health and
other areas of mutual interest.
ii. Explore cooperation between educational institutions of both
countries.
iii. Foster cooperation between Start-up India and Information
Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA), including for
mentorship for Sri Lankan start-ups.
Trade and Investment Cooperation
17. The two leaders appreciated that the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade
Agreement (ISFTA) has enhanced the trade partnership between the two
countries, while acknowledging that there is immense potential for
further expanding the trade ties Underscoring the pace of economic
growth and opportunities in India as well as the growing market size
and its potential for enhancing trade and investment for Sri Lanka,
both leaders agreed that it is now opportune to further enhance the
trade partnership by committing to:
i. Continue discussions on the Economic & Technological
Cooperation Agreement.
ii. Enhance INR-LKR trade settlements between the two
countries.
iii. Encourage investments in key sectors in Sri Lanka to enhance its
export potential.
18. The two leaders agreed on the need to continue discussions for
the early finalization of the proposed bilateral Social Security
Agreement.
Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
19. Both leaders appreciated the ongoing collaboration for the
development of the dairy sector in Sri Lanka with the aim of promoting
self-sufficiency and nutritional security.
20. Noting President Disanayaka’s emphasis on agricultural
modernization, the two leaders agreed to establish a Joint Working
Group to examine possibilities for the comprehensive development of
the agricultural sector in Sri Lanka.
Strategic & Defence Cooperation
21. Recognizing shared security interests of India and Sri
Lanka, both leaders acknowledged the importance of regular dialogue
based on mutual trust and transparency and giving primacy to each
other’s security concerns. As natural partners, both leaders
underscored the common challenges faced by the two countries in the
Indian Ocean Region and reaffirmed their commitment to work together
in countering traditional and non-traditional threats as well as to
ensure a free, open, safe and secure Indian Ocean Region. India being
Sri Lanka’s closest maritime neighbour, President Disanayaka
reiterated Sri Lanka’s stated position of not permitting its
territory to be used in any manner inimical to the security of India
as well as towards regional stability.
22. Expressing satisfaction at the ongoing defence cooperation
in training, exchange programs, ship visits, bilateral exercises and
assistance to augment defence capabilities, both leaders agreed to
advance maritime and security collaboration.
23. President Disanayaka thanked India for its support through
the provision of a Dornier Aircraft for maritime surveillance; and
establishment of the Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre in Sri
Lanka amongst other assistance vital for Sri Lanka to enhance its
maritime domain awareness. He further appreciated India’s role
as a ‘first responder’ for Sri Lanka in the field of
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. Importantly, the recent
success in collaboration efforts of Indian and Sri Lanka Navies in the
seizing of vessels trafficking a large quantity of narcotics with
suspects was mentioned and President Disanayaka expressed his
gratitude to the Indian Navy.
24.
As a trusted and reliable partner, India conveyed its continued
commitment to working closely with Sri Lanka in advancing its defence
and maritime security needs and extending necessary assistance towards
augmenting its capabilities to address its maritime challenges.
25.
Taking cognizance of various security threats such as terrorism,
drug/narcotics smuggling, money laundering, and, both leaders agreed
to further strengthen the ongoing efforts in training, capacity
building, and intelligence and information sharing. In this context,
they agreed to:
i. Explore the possibility of concluding a framework Agreement
on Defence Cooperation;
ii. Foster cooperation in hydrography;
iii. Provision of defence platforms and assets to augment Sri
Lanka’s defence capabilities;
iv. Intensify collaboration through joint exercises, maritime
surveillance, and defence dialogue and exchanges;
v. Extend assistance to strengthen capabilities of Sri Lanka on
disaster mitigation, relief and rehabilitation, including through
training, joint exercises and sharing of best practices; and
vi. Enhance capacity building and training for Sri Lankan defence
forces and conduct tailormade training programmes, wherever
required.
Cultural and Tourism Development
26. Underlining their cultural affinity, geographical proximity and
civilizational ties, both leaders acknowledged the need to further
promote cultural and tourism links between the two countries. Given
that India has been the largest source of tourism for Sri Lanka, the
two leaders committed to:
i. Enhancing air connectivity to various destinations in India and
Sri Lanka, while noting the successful resumption of flights between
Chennai and Jaffna.
ii. Continuing discussions on the development of airports in Sri
Lanka.
iii. Promoting Indian investments for the development of tourism
infrastructure in Sri Lanka.
iv. Establishing a facilitatory framework for development of
religious and cultural tourism.
v. Promoting academic linkages between educational institutions for
the promotion and advancement of cultural and linguistic ties between
the two countries.
Fisheries Issues
27. Acknowledging the issues faced by fishermen on both sides and
factoring the livelihood concerns, the leaders agreed on the need to
continue to address these in a humanitarian manner. In this regard,
they also underscored the need to take measures to avoid any
aggressive behaviour or violence. They welcomed the recent conclusion
of the 6th Joint Working Group Meeting on Fisheries in Colombo. The
leaders expressed confidence that through dialogue and constructive
engagements a long lasting and mutually acceptable solution could be
achieved. Given the special relationship between India and Sri Lanka,
they instructed officials to continue their engagement to address
these issues.
28. President Disanayaka thanked India for its initiatives for the
sustainable and commercial development of fisheries in Sri Lanka,
including development of Point Pedro Fishing Harbour, rehabilitation
of Karainagar Boatyard and cooperation in Aquaculture through Indian
assistance.
Regional and Multilateral Cooperation
29. Recognizing shared maritime security interests in the Indian
Ocean Region, both leaders agreed to jointly pursue strengthening
regional maritime security, both bilaterally and through existing
regional frameworks. In this regard, the leaders welcomed the recent
signing of the Founding Documents of the Colombo Security Conclave
headquartered in Colombo. India reiterated its support to Sri Lanka in
advancing the objectives of the Conclave.
30. India conveyed its full support for Sri Lanka’s
Chairmanship of the IORA. Both leaders underscored the need for a
substantive action plan by IORA member countries for security and
development of all in the region.
31. Both leaders also underlined their commitment to further
strengthen and enhance regional cooperation under BIMSTEC.
32. President Disanayaka requested Prime Minister Modi’s
support for Sri Lanka’s application to become a member of the
BRICS.
33. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Sri Lanka’s support to
India’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security
Council for 2028-2029.
Conclusion
34. The leaders noted that the effective and timely implementation of
agreed measures, as outlined, would deepen the bilateral ties between
the two countries and transform the relationship into a new standard
for friendly and neighbourly ties. Accordingly, the leaders directed
their officials to initiate necessary measures for implementation of
the understandings and agreed to extend guidance, where required. They
further resolved to continue engagement at leadership level to
qualitatively enhance bilateral ties that are mutually beneficial,
cater to sustainable developmental needs of Sri Lanka and contribute
to the stability of the Indian Ocean Region. President Disanayaka
invited Prime Minister Modi to pay a visit to Sri Lanka at his
earliest convenience.
***
Colombo
16 December 2024
