In a move to strengthen democratic ties, a 24-member high-level delegation of the Sri Lanka–India Parliamentary Friendship Association met India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla during their visit to the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) at the Lok Sabha Secretariat in New Delhi.
The delegation, led by Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health and Mass Communication and Association President Nalinda Jayatissa, discussed ways to enhance parliamentary exchanges and cooperation.
Speaker Birla highlighted Sri Lanka’s special place in India’s Neighbourhood First policy and its MAHASAGAR vision (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions). He called for more frequent exchanges between the parliaments of the two countries to deepen democratic cooperation and strengthen parliamentary diplomacy.
Referring to recent high-level visits, Birla described Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025 and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India in December 2024 as milestones in bilateral relations. He welcomed the establishment of the Sri Lanka–India Parliamentary Friendship Association in Sri Lanka’s Parliament as proof of strong ties between the two nations.
Birla also stressed the importance of institutional cooperation and regular dialogue between elected representatives to share experiences and democratic practices. He pointed to India and Sri Lanka’s deep-rooted cultural and people-to-people links, adding that initiatives such as the Ramayana and Buddhist tourism circuits further cement bilateral relations.
Highlighting PRIDE’s role in conducting training programmes for legislators from over 110 countries, Birla assured India’s readiness to share innovations and best practices globally.
Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, on behalf of the Sri Lankan delegation, thanked India for being the first responder during Sri Lanka’s economic crisis and praised India’s cooperation in health and education, describing it as a “lifeline” for the country. He also acknowledged India’s key role in ensuring peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region.
The Sri Lankan parliamentary delegation, comprising 20 Members of Parliament and four parliamentary staff, is visiting India from August 26 to 30.
