Ceylon Chamber leads 19-member high-level delegation to Mumbai for Indo-Lanka Business Forum

Ceylon Chamber and John Keells Holdings Chairperson Krishan Balendra

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will lead a senior corporate delegation to Mumbai for the India–Sri Lanka Business Forum tomorrow (13), held in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The delegation brings together the leadership of some of Sri Lanka’s most prominent companies, representing a broad cross-section of the economy. Participants include Chairpersons, CEOs, and Managing Directors from leading firms in banking, manufacturing, energy, logistics, tourism, construction, and technology. 

Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Mahishini Colonne will address the gathering. Senior Economic Adviser to the President Duminda Hulangamuwa will deliver the keynote address at the Forum. The program will also feature an interactive session with Indian business leaders and investors, creating space for direct engagement on trade, investment, policy, and market opportunities. 

The delegation is led by Ceylon Chamber and John Keells Holdings Chairperson Krishan Balendra. 

Accompanying him will be Ceylon Chamber Vice Chairperson and Standard Chartered Bank CEO Bingumal Thewarathanthri and Ceylon Chamber Deputy Vice Chairperson and Hirdaramani Group Chairman Vinod Hirdaramani. Ceylon Chamber Secretary General and CEO Shiran Fernando will also participate. 

Other delegates include Maliban Biscuit Manufactories Group CEO Ravi Jayawardena, Sierra Cables PLC Managing Director and CEO Harsha Jayatunga, Sierra Cables PLC Executive Director D.S. Panditha, A. Baur & Co., Managing Director and CEO Rolf Blaser, Jetwing Travels Chairman and Managing Director Shiromal Cooray, Ceylon Biscuits CEO and Director Nalin Karunaratne, Hayleys Advantis Managing Director Ruwan Waidyaratne, Vidullanka PLC CEO Riyaz Sangani, LTL Holdings CEO Nuhuman Marikkar, MAS India CEO Malik Ahamadeen, Tudawe Brothers CEO Romali Tudawe, David Pieris Holdings Group Chairman and Managing Director Rohana Dissanayake, Bank of Ceylon Chairman Kavinda de Zoysa, Aitken Spence PLC Chairperson Stasshani Jayawardena, and OREL IT CEO Upendra Peiris.

The Forum will bring these business leaders together with their Indian counterparts to engage directly on trade, investment, and partnership opportunities. With focused business-to-business meetings and high-level discussions, the engagement is designed to move beyond introductions and towards tangible commercial outcomes.

At a time of increasing economic engagement between Sri Lanka and India, the Forum provides a platform to present Sri Lanka’s current economic trajectory, highlight sector-specific opportunities, and facilitate conversations that can translate into new investments and joint ventures. The India–Sri Lanka Business Forum is supported by partners Colombo West International Terminal, A. Baur & Co., and Bank of Ceylon.

For the Ceylon Chamber, the initiative reflects its role in connecting Sri Lankan businesses with regional markets and creating structured opportunities for private sector collaboration. By bringing decision-makers into the same room, the Chamber continues to support the expansion of bilateral trade and investment between the two countries.

Sri Lanka, India discuss $ 450 m reconstruction package

Sri Lanka and India have held discussions on a $ 450 million post-conflict reconstruction package, as the two countries continue to deepen bilateral economic and strategic cooperation.

The discussions took place during a meeting held on 10 May between Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando and Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, according to the Finance Ministry.

The Ministry said the discussions focused on the proposed reconstruction package, as well as broader efforts to strengthen the strategic partnership between Sri Lanka and India.

Further details of the proposed financing package were not disclosed.