Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya will arrive in New Delhi on Thursday for a three-day official visit to India from October 16 to 18, marking her first foreign visit since assuming office earlier this year. The visit is expected to further reinforce the enduring ties between the two neighbours, anchored in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and the ‘MAHASAGAR Vision’.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Amarasuriya will meet senior Indian political leaders to discuss bilateral issues of mutual interest and cooperation across key sectors. Her visit, the MEA said, reflects the continuity of regular high-level exchanges between India and Sri Lanka, aimed at advancing multifaceted collaboration across education, technology, trade and cultural domains.
As part of her engagements, Amarasuriya will deliver the keynote address at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and NITI Aayog to explore new avenues of partnership in education, innovation and digital transformation, areas where both nations are seeking deeper collaboration.
The Sri Lankan leader, who is also her country’s Education Minister, will visit her alma mater, Hindu College of Delhi University, during her stay. The MEA said this visit will be a “nostalgic and symbolic moment”, reflecting the deep cultural and educational bonds shared between the two nations.
Amarasuriya will also attend a business event focused on expanding commercial linkages between Indian and Sri Lankan enterprises, with emphasis on trade facilitation, technology exchange and investment partnerships. Officials said her visit is expected to open new chapters in economic cooperation, particularly in sustainable development and skill-sharing initiatives.
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Earlier this month, on October 2, Amarasuriya, along with Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha, paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Temple Trees, the official residence and office of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister in Colombo. Sharing photographs of the event, the Indian High Commission in Colombo posted on X, “Hon'ble Prime Minister @Dr_HariniA, along with High Commissioner @santjha, offered floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Temple Trees, the official residence and office of the Prime Minister, today.”
The gesture coincided with the 156th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, revered as the Father of the Nation, whose ideals of non-violence and truth continue to inspire generations across the world.
Born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat, Gandhi led India’s struggle for independence through the principles of ahimsa and satyagraha, inspiring movements for justice far beyond India’s borders. His assassination on 30 January 1948 at Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi marked a solemn chapter in India’s history.
Amarasuriya’s maiden visit to India carries symbolic significance, blending diplomacy, education, and shared history, as New Delhi and Colombo look to chart a renewed course of partnership in the Indian Ocean region.
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