SL needs to build strategic partnerships to unlock full potential of key projects: Expert

Monday, 14 July 2025 05:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Invest India former Managing Director and CEO Deepak Bagla recently urged Sri Lanka to forge the right partnerships, particularly with its neighbours, to unlock the full potential of major projects like Port City Colombo.

Delivering the keynote address at a webinar last week, jointly organised by the Daily FT, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka, Women in Management (WIM), SLASSCOM, the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors, the MBA Alumni Association of the University of Colombo, and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Bagla described Sri Lanka’s location as “phenomenal,” with two-thirds of global trade routes passing within close proximity to the island.

Combined with the already established infrastructure, he stressed the next stage must involve building the right partnerships to translate these assets into tangible economic outcomes. “The next challenge is to create the right partnerships—especially with your immediate neighbourhood—to quickly build on those assets and deliver visible impact,” he added.

Addressing Sri Lanka’s delicate strategic positioning between India and China, Bagla advised to adopt a pragmatic approach rather than viewing the two Asian giants purely as rivals.

“There will always be competition. Each country must play the hand it is dealt,” he said, likening regional geopolitics to a strategic game of ‘flash cards,’ where success comes from leveraging one’s unique comparative advantages.