A high-level delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) met with Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, in Colombo on Tuesday, October 13, to discuss opportunities to expand industrial, investment and business cooperation between Sri Lanka and India.
The delegation included prominent Indian business leaders representing several strategic industries, including renewable energy, healthcare, information technology, steel, footwear manufacturing, and industrial tanks and liners. Senior CII executives also took part in the high-level discussions.
The meeting provided a platform to explore ways of transforming existing economic ties into stronger industrial and commercial partnerships. Officials highlighted the importance of such engagements in identifying targeted investment opportunities within Sri Lanka’s industrial sector, strengthening business-to-business (B2B) relationships, and establishing frameworks for mutually beneficial collaboration.
The Deputy Minister emphasised that attracting foreign investment, facilitating the transfer of technology and expertise, and expanding market access for local businesses remain key priorities in advancing Sri Lanka’s industrial and entrepreneurship sectors.
To build on these discussions, the government intends to maintain constructive engagement with the international business community. Continued collaboration with leading organisations such as the CII is expected to deepen bilateral economic ties, improve the domestic investment climate, and support long-term industrial development and sustainable economic growth.
RDB Launches Islandwide Initiative to Develop 14,014 Entrepreneurs
The Regional Development Bank (RDB) has launched a countrywide initiative to establish at least one entrepreneur in each of Sri Lanka’s 14,014 Grama Niladhari divisions, with the aim of strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and driving economic growth.
The “14,014 Entrepreneurs Operation” was officially launched in Divulapitiya on October 13 under the patronage of Labour Minister and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Fernando highlighted the importance of directing financial resources towards entrepreneurship to stimulate economic growth. He said the Government was prioritising funding to establish new businesses and expand entrepreneurial opportunities. He also noted that the RDB’s responsibilities under the initiative would go beyond lending, extending to business development assistance, knowledge-sharing and support in accessing markets.
The Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for entrepreneurs, noting that banks had been instructed to respond to their financial needs. He further stressed that bribery in business transactions would not be tolerated.
Dr. Fernando also underscored the importance of maintaining financial discipline, observing that Sri Lanka’s progress towards economic stability following its financial crisis had received recognition from international organisations.
The initiative will be carried out through six targeted programmes designed to promote entrepreneurship across key economic and social sectors. These are “Dheewara Diriya”, which supports fisheries-based businesses; “Krushi Nawodaya”, focused on agricultural entrepreneurship; “Ksheera Viplavaya”, aimed at developing the livestock sector; “Liyasaviya”, which encourages women’s entrepreneurship; “Heta Obata”, designed to support young entrepreneurs; and “Prabathaya”, dedicated to entrepreneurship development in the Northern Province.
CII Delegation Explores Opportunities to Strengthen Industrial and Investment Ties Between Sri Lanka and India
