Colombo: In a significant step towards deepening democratic ties, the 24-member high-level delegation of Sri Lanka-India Parliamentary Friendship Association met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla during their visit to the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) at Lok Sabha Secretariat in New Delhi.
The delegation was led by Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Communication of Sri Lanka and President of the Sri Lanka–India Parliamentary Friendship Association.
During the meeting, Birla underscored Sri Lanka’s significance in India’s Neighbourhood First policy and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision and called for an increase in such bilateral exchanges between India and Sri Lanka
“Sri Lanka-India Parliamentary Friendship Association delegation called on Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla during their visit at Lok Sabha PRIDE. The Speaker highlighted Sri Lanka’s special place in India’s Neighbourhood First policy & MAHASAGAR vision & urged more such exchanges between India and Sri Lanka,” High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, posted on X on Friday.
Birla expressed pleasure in meeting the Parliamentary Delegation from Sri Lanka, who are visiting India for a special training programme organised by PRIDE. The Speaker stressed that such exchanges strengthen parliamentary diplomacy and deepen democratic cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.
Referring to recent high-level exchanges, Birla described Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025 and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India in December 2024 as milestones in bilateral relations.
Speaker Birla welcomed the establishment of the India–Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Association in the Sri Lankan Parliament, calling it a testament to the strength of bilateral ties.
He emphasised the need for institutional cooperation and regular dialogue between the Parliaments of both countries to share democratic practices and the experiences of elected representatives. Such exchanges, he said, will further reinforce democratic values.
Birla underlined that the shared heritage of India and Sri Lanka goes back thousands of years, with deep-rooted cultural and people-to-people connections forming key pillars of bilateral relations. He stressed that the development of the Ramayana and Buddhist tourism circuits, along with cultural exchanges and growing people-to-people contact, provide a strong foundation for these relations.
Birla also shared PRIDE’s role in conducting capacity-building programmes for legislators from over 110 countries and expressed India’s readiness to share these innovations with other nations.
On his part, Nalinda Jayatissa thanked India for being the first responder during Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. He also praised India’s role in ensuring peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region, while describing India’s cooperation in health and education as a lifeline for Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan parliamentary delegation is on a visit to India from August 26–30. It comprises 20 Members of Parliament and 4 parliamentary staff.
(IANS)
