A CEOs delegation of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), led by Mr. Sanjiv Puri, Immediate Past President, CII and Chairman & Managing Director of ITC Limited, visited Colombo from 29 June to 02 July 2025. The visit followed an invitation extended by the President of Sri Lanka during his State Visit to India in December 2024. The delegation comprised over 15 prominent Indian business leaders representing diverse sectors including hospitality, manufacturing, energy, healthcare, textiles, and tourism, among others.
During the visit, the CII delegation had the honour of calling on the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. The leadership briefed the Indian business representatives on the constructive measures undertaken by the government to foster a supportive economic climate, promote investment, and ensure fair and transparent business practices.
In addition, the delegation held wide-ranging discussions with several senior Ministers and officials of the Government of Sri Lanka, including the Minister of Energy; Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development; Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development; Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development; and the Chairman of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka. These discussions explored avenues for investment-led collaboration and sector-specific partnerships.
A key highlight of the visit was a CEOs’ Roundtable organised by the High Commission of India on 30 June at ITC Ratnadipa, in collaboration with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC). The CCC delegation was led by Mr. Krishan Balendra, Chairman and CEO of John Keells Group. The Roundtable witnessed in-depth deliberations on strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and identifying new opportunities for collaboration. High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Santosh Jha also participated in the interaction.
To mark the occasion, the High Commissioner hosted a networking reception that brought together prominent business leaders, senior ministers, and political leaders. The event also witnessed the participation of leading trade and industry chambers from across Sri Lanka.
The visit of the CII CEOs delegation successfully identified various areas of mutual interest for forging further economic linkages and trade connections. It also highlighted the commitment of apex Indian chambers of commerce, such as CII, to deepening existing economic ties, promoting investment-led partnerships, and exploring new avenues for collaboration between India and Sri Lanka.
