A 31-member business delegation from the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) concluded a three-day visit to Sri Lanka aimed at expanding bilateral trade, investment and business partnerships between the two countries.

The delegation, which visited Sri Lanka from 28 to 30 July, was led by the ICC's Tamil Nadu State Council and comprised representatives from sectors including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, engineering, apparel and textiles, food and agriculture, and infrastructure.

During the visit, the delegation met with Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha, who briefed members on Sri Lanka's economic outlook and highlighted opportunities to further strengthen the India-Sri Lanka economic partnership through increased trade and investment.

The delegation also held discussions with officials of the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development on areas of mutual interest and explored opportunities for future collaboration. Meetings were also held with the Indo-Lanka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ILCCI), as well as representatives of Hayleys Group and Access Group, to identify new avenues for commercial engagement.

To facilitate business-to-business (B2B) networking, the High Commission of India, in collaboration with the Indian CEO Forum, organised a business interaction titled "India-Sri Lanka Trade Connect: Interaction with ICC Delegation" at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo on 28 July. The event brought together members of the visiting delegation with representatives of leading Sri Lankan companies, major business chambers and business leaders from Jaffna, providing a platform to explore commercial partnerships and trade opportunities.

Addressing the gathering, High Commissioner Jha underscored the untapped potential for expanding bilateral trade and investment, stressing the importance of stronger B2B partnerships. He also noted that state-level economic engagement has become an increasingly important pillar of India's international economic outreach.

The event also witnessed the formal exchange of two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed by the Indian Chamber of Commerce with the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka and the Chamber of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs. The agreements are expected to strengthen institutional cooperation through information sharing, promotion of trade and investment, business networking and the identification of new areas for collaboration.

The visit reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Sri Lanka to deepen economic ties through enhanced trade, increased investment and stronger business linkages, while fostering closer cooperation at both regional and state levels.