New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on Thursday sought India’s support for promoting digital transformation in the island nation, powered by human capital, innovation, and partnerships.
“We envision a generation of students who are not just learners, but creators, problem solvers, and innovators—fuelling a national ecosystem of AI hubs, incubators, and startups with global impact,” she said.
PM Amarasuriya called upon Indian industry to partner with Sri Lanka in this vision, citing India’s globally recognised strengths in educational technology, AI, and startup ecosystems.
“No nation can advance sustainability without investing in its people,” she remarked at a high-level interaction with Indian industry leaders here.
Emphasising Sri Lanka’s longstanding commitment to nurturing its human capital, Amarasuriya highlighted the country’s focus on empowering citizens through education, skills, and creativity to drive sustainable development.
The Prime Minister underscored the multifaceted cooperation between India and Sri Lanka, particularly in the areas of healthcare, education, and skilling. She outlined a series of progressive reforms introduced by her government aimed at reducing inequality, modernising educational infrastructure, and digitalising classrooms – initiatives that open new avenues for collaboration with India.
The interaction saw robust participation from industry leaders and stakeholders from both countries, with discussions centred on digital transformation, renewable energy, infrastructure, and skill development. Both sides agreed that advancing cooperation in AI, innovation, and digital public infrastructure will be pivotal in driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
CII President-designate and Tata Chemicals Ltd Managing Director & CEO, R. Mukundan, emphasised the deepening ties between the two nations. “India is Sri Lanka’s closest neighbour and a central pillar in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and MAHASAGAR vision,” he said.
Mukundan also advocated for the early conclusion of the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which he said would unlock new opportunities in trade, innovation, logistics, and inclusive prosperity.
CII AI Forum Chairman Tejpreet Chopra highlighted India’s leadership in digital public infrastructure and its potential to support Sri Lanka’s digital inclusion and entrepreneurship goals.
Texmaco Defence Systems Managing Director & CEO, Tribhuvan Darbari, spoke on the momentum created by Indian-supported railway projects in Sri Lanka, enhancing north-south connectivity and logistics.
Professor K. Chelvakumar of IIT Gandhinagar offered collaboration in STEM education through the Centre for Creative Learning, which has already impacted over 500,000 students in India.
–IANS
