Mr. Tilvin Silva, General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, undertook an official visit to India from 5–12 February 2026 under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Distinguished Visitors Programme. This marked his first visit to India. He was accompanied by Members of Parliament Hon. Kitnan Selvaraj and Hon. Ilankumaran Karunanathan, along with senior party representatives including Mr. Janaka Adhikari, Mr. Hemathilaka Gamage, and Ms. Kalpana Madhubhashini.
During the visit, the delegation travelled to New Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Thiruvananthapuram, engaging in a series of high-level meetings and institutional visits.
In New Delhi, Mr. Silva and the delegation met S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, and Pavan Kapoor, Deputy National Security Advisor. The Indian side reaffirmed India’s commitment to Sri Lanka as a reliable partner under its Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision MAHASAGAR. Discussions focused on shared growth opportunities, social welfare initiatives, and people-centric development. The delegation was also briefed on ICCR’s cultural programmes and scholarship opportunities available to Sri Lankan students.
The New Delhi programme included visits to the Unique Digital Identity Authority of India, National Disaster Management Authority, Gati Shakti initiative, and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, providing insights into India’s capabilities in digital governance, disaster management, infrastructure development, and sustainable agriculture. The delegation also attended the Grand International Exposition of the Sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha, underscoring the deep civilizational links between the two countries.
In Ahmedabad, the delegation met Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, and Harsh Sanghavi, Deputy Chief Minister. Discussions highlighted Gujarat’s inclusive development model across sectors such as dairy, infrastructure, cooperatives, FinTech, tourism, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The programme included visits to AMUL, Tribhuvan Sahkari University, Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, and the International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology (i-Create). The delegation also paid homage at Sabarmati Ashram.
In Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Silva met Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala. The delegation visited the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, gaining exposure to India’s advancements in space science and technology, and toured the Vizhinjam deep-water container transhipment port, India’s first such facility developed under a public-private partnership model.
The visit by the JVP delegation led by Mr. Tilvin Silva reflects India’s continued engagement with political leadership across party lines in Sri Lanka, aimed at strengthening bilateral understanding and cooperation.
