India and Sri Lanka are set to enhance their ties through improved connectivity in various sectors, according to a joint statement titled ‘Promoting Connectivity, Catalysing Prosperity.’ The two countries recognize the vital role of connectivity in bolstering their partnership, and the Indian High Commission in Colombo issued this vision.
During President Wickremesinghe’s two-day official visit to India, which commenced on July 20, the leaders acknowledged India’s significant support in helping Sri Lanka overcome economic challenges. The High Commission appreciated India’s timely and unprecedented aid to the Sri Lankan government and its people.
In the maritime domain, India and Sri Lanka will collaborate on developing ports and logistics infrastructure in Colombo, Trincomalee, and Kankesanthurai. The objective is to strengthen regional logistics and shipping capabilities through mutual understanding. Additionally, passenger ferry services between Nagapattinam in India and Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka will resume, and efforts will be made to reinstate ferry services between Rameshwaram and Talaimannar, along with other agreed-upon locations.
Regarding air connectivity, the two countries plan to restart flights between Jaffna and Chennai and expand them further to Colombo, exploring connectivity between Chennai and Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and other Sri Lankan destinations. They will also promote investment and cooperation in civil aviation, focusing on augmenting airport infrastructure at Palaly to bring economic benefits to the people.
In the realm of power and energy connectivity, both nations recognize the significance of finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation to develop renewable energy resources in Sri Lanka, including offshore wind and solar energy. This will enable Sri Lanka to achieve its goal of generating 70 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2030. Additionally, the establishment of a high-capacity power grid interconnection between India and Sri Lanka will facilitate bidirectional electricity trade between the two countries and the broader region.