Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi visited India from February 24 to 27, 2026, to attend the 25th edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit 2026 held in New Delhi.
The summit was organised by The Energy and Resources Institute in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of India. The theme of this year’s summit was “Transformations: Vision, Voices and Values for Sustainable Development.”
Minister Patabendi attended the inaugural session on February 25 and participated in the Special Ministerial Plenary Session titled “Multilateralism as a Force for Hope and Impact” on February 26.
On the sidelines of the summit, he joined a roundtable discussion with Indian stakeholders in the fields of environment, forestry and climate change. The discussion, facilitated by the Confederation of Indian Industry, focused on policy frameworks, technological cooperation and private-sector engagement in advancing environmental sustainability.
During the visit, the minister also toured TERI’s Research and Development Centre in Gurugram. The visit included exposure to the institute’s Biotechnology Centre, Micro-propagation Technology Park, Fermentation Technology Research Centre and other emerging technology initiatives.
According to a statement issued by the Indian High Commission in Colombo, the visit further strengthened bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and India in the areas of environmental protection, climate change mitigation, sustainable development and green technology.
