After meeting Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Mahishini Colonne said Sri Lanka has long looked to Gujarat’s development model, dating back to the period when Prime Minister Narendra Modi served as the state’s Chief Minister.
Speaking to reporters, Colonne highlighted similarities between Sri Lanka and Gujarat as maritime regions, noting that these shared characteristics create strong potential for cooperation.
“I conveyed to the Chief Minister the greetings of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who visited India in December last year, as well as the greetings of the government and people of Sri Lanka. I explained that Sri Lankans have closely observed Gujarat’s progress for many years and have viewed Gujarat’s development model as an example,” she said.
She added that Sri Lanka has a deep interest in Gujarat.
“There is significant interest in Gujarat. I also mentioned the ancient links between our two regions. Gujarat has the longest coastline in India, and both Gujaratis and Sri Lankans are seafaring people. We are maritime regions—Gujarat as a maritime state and Sri Lanka as a maritime nation. Both have deep-water ports, and Sri Lanka handles a large share of India’s transshipment trade,” she said.
Colonne also recalled Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya’s visit to India, during which she emphasized that India could use Sri Lankan ports as gateways to global markets.
“When our Prime Minister was here last month, she stressed that India can use Sri Lanka’s ports as gateways to the world. We discussed this, along with opportunities in textiles, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, and tourism,” she added.
Colonne said that a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will help advance cooperation.
“I believe the areas for collaboration between Gujarat and Sri Lanka are limitless. This morning, we signed an MoU between the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which will serve as an important first step toward a productive partnership that benefits people in both regions,” she said.
The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) hosted an interactive session with the visiting Sri Lankan delegation on Thursday, with the signing of the MoU serving as a key highlight. The agreement aims to boost bilateral trade, encourage business partnerships, and strengthen economic ties between India and Sri Lanka.
