A 15-member delegation of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, comprising 12 Members of Parliament and 3 Parliamentary officials, visited India from 22 to 27 March 2026 for a study tour. The delegation was led by Hon. S.M. Marikkar, M.P. and Chairperson of the Committee. The week-long visit included engagements in New Delhi and Mumbai. The visit aimed at providing exposure to India’s institutional frameworks, policy approaches, and best practices in infrastructure development, including the use of new and emerging technology.
In New Delhi, the delegation called on the Hon’ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla, and held discussions with the Foreign Secretary of India, Shri Vikram Misri. The programme included orientation sessions conducted by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), covering key aspects of India’s parliamentary system and committee functioning. The delegation interacted with Parliamentary Standing Committees on Transport, Tourism and Culture, as well as on Housing and Urban Affairs, facilitating exchange of views on legislative oversight and governance. They also met the recently constituted India-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Indian Parliament.
As part of their exposure to India’s infrastructure initiatives, the delegation was briefed on flagship programmes such as PM Gati Shakti and the Jal Jeevan Mission. They visited key institutions including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Solar Energy Corporation of India, New Delhi Municipal Council Smart City Ltd. and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organised a roundtable interaction with industry stakeholders to underline the role of Public-Private Partnerships in adding scale and momentum to infrastructure advancement.
In Mumbai, the delegation visited the Atal Setu Bridge, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Navi Mumbai International Airport and Power Exchange India Limited. These visits demonstrated the transformation underway in connectivity infrastructure in India across dimensions of land, air, maritime and energy. Hon’ble Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and Hon’ble Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council also received the delegation and shared insights on state-level initiatives for infrastructure development and investment promotion.
The visit reflects the continued commitment of India and Sri Lanka to deepen parliamentary engagement and share developmental experiences. It also underscores the importance of capacity building and institutional collaboration in advancing sustainable development in the two countries and in the Indian Ocean region.
