India and Sri Lanka renewed their commitment to strengthening capacity building and skills development as the High Commission of India in Colombo marked ITEC Day 2025 on 18 February 2026. The event underscored the enduring partnership between the two countries under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC), a flagship initiative focused on human resource development.
The celebration was attended by Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, and Nalin Hewage, Deputy Minister of Vocational Education, who graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Also present were Deputy High Commissioner Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, senior officials of the High Commission, Ms. Tharanga Liyanage, Additional Director of the Department of External Resources, and Ms. P. S. Sandamali, Director (ICT) at the Ministry of Education. More than 200 ITEC alumni from across Sri Lanka attended the event.
In his remarks, Deputy Minister Hewage expressed appreciation for India’s sustained support through the ITEC programme and noted Sri Lanka’s interest in expanding opportunities under ITEC and other capacity-building frameworks. He highlighted education, research and innovation, and vocational training as central pillars of Sri Lanka’s development strategy, emphasizing the importance of deeper collaboration with India in these sectors.
Addressing the gathering, High Commissioner Jha described ITEC Day as a valuable platform to reconnect with scholars and alumni while celebrating their professional achievements. He noted that ITEC alumni form a global network, many holding key positions across diverse sectors, thereby serving as a bridge of friendship between India and Sri Lanka.
He further emphasized that advanced courses offered under ITEC — including Artificial Intelligence, cyber technologies, digital governance, finance, banking, public administration, climate change, and scientific fields — match the standards of high-cost programmes available in Europe. Through ITEC, India provides such training fully funded to partner countries including Sri Lanka.
The High Commissioner also recalled the announcement by Narendra Modi during his April 2025 visit to Sri Lanka, under which 700 customized training opportunities are now offered annually for Sri Lankan professionals. The initiative reflects India’s continued commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka’s institutional capacity and human resource development.
Four Sri Lankan ITEC alumni shared testimonials at the event, outlining how their training in India enhanced their professional skills and contributed to institutional development back home, demonstrating the programme’s long-term impact.
ITEC initiatives align closely with Sri Lanka’s current development priorities, contributing to stronger governance systems, improved institutional efficiency, digital transformation, and greater economic resilience, particularly as the country continues its recovery from recent economic challenges. Sri Lanka remains one of India’s key ITEC partners, receiving 402 fully funded training slots annually for government officials and professionals.
In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA) during the Sri Lankan President’s State Visit to India in December 2024 provides for the training of 1,500 Sri Lanka Civil Service Officers over five years. So far, seven batches comprising 281 officers have completed training under the programme, with 321 officials expected to benefit by March 2026.
