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Gujarat CM Meets Sri Lanka's JVP, Eyes Stronger Ties & Sectoral Cooperation

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel met a delegation from Sri Lanka's ruling Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), led by General Secretary Tilvin Silva, in Gandhinagar. The discussions focused on bolstering bilateral relations and exploring cooperation in specific sectors where Gujarat's policy frameworks could be beneficial. The Sri Lankan delegation expressed appreciation for India's consistent support and showed keen interest in learning from Gujarat's development model, particularly in areas like the cooperative sector exemplified by Amul. Chief Minister Patel invited Sri Lanka to participate as a partner country in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2027 to further investment and collaboration prospects.

Key Points: Gujarat CM, Sri Lanka JVP Discuss Bilateral Relations & Cooperation

  • Strengthening India-Sri Lanka relations
  • Exploring sector-specific policy cooperation
  • Discussing tourism & industrial collaboration
  • Invitation to Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2027
2 min read

Gujarat CM meets Sri Lanka's JVP delegation to discuss bilateral relations, sectoral cooperation

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel meets Sri Lanka's JVP delegation led by Tilvin Silva to strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties and explore sectoral partnerships.

"India has always stood by Sri Lanka, including through assistance in infrastructure development when the country required support. - Tilvin Silva"

Gandhinagar, Feb 9

A delegation of Sri Lanka's ruling party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, led by its General Secretary Tilvin Silva, held discussions with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday, focusing on strengthening India-Sri Lanka relations and exploring avenues for sector-specific cooperation.

Welcoming the delegation in Gandhinagar, Patel said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, relations between India and Sri Lanka had become more robust.

"India and Sri Lanka share deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, and this meeting will be fruitful in giving further momentum to these long-standing relations," the Chief Minister said.

Highlighting Gujarat's governance model, Patel described the state as a policy-driven one and said Sri Lanka could benefit from Gujarat's sectoral policies in areas of mutual interest.

"Through mutual coordination, Sri Lanka can take advantage of Gujarat's policy frameworks in sectors it is keen to partner in," he said.

The discussions also touched upon tourism cooperation, including measures to encourage more visitors from Gujarat to travel to Sri Lanka.

JVP General Secretary Silva said his visit to Gujarat and India was his first and expressed appreciation for the state's progress.

Referring to India as the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister Modi, he said he was "emotionally moved" by the visit and impressed by Gujarat's development trajectory.

The JVP General Secretary thanked the Central and State governments for providing the sacred relics of Lord Buddha for an exhibition organised in Colombo.

He also acknowledged India's support to Sri Lanka during times of need. "India has always stood by Sri Lanka, including through assistance in infrastructure development when the country required support," Silva added.

He expressed interest in strengthening industrial cooperation between Gujarat and Sri Lanka and referred to his visit to Amul as an example of a successful cooperative enterprise.

Silva said Sri Lanka was keen to learn from Gujarat's expertise through "knowledge sharing and know-how" across sectors, including the cooperative sector.

Inviting Sri Lanka to participate as a partner country in the Vibrant Summit-2027, Patel said, "The platform would provide an opportunity to explore investment and collaboration prospects."

He also shared details of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conferences (VGRC) initiative, aimed at showcasing Gujarat's regional industrial capabilities globally in line with the Prime Minister's vision.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting read. As someone who has traveled to both countries, the tourism potential is huge. Easier visa processes and direct connectivity from Ahmedabad to Colombo would be great. Cultural and religious tourism, given the Buddhist relics connection mentioned, is a smart area to focus on.
V
Vikram M
Good to see our foreign policy working at the state level. India has always been the first responder for Sri Lanka in crises. Now translating that goodwill into sustainable economic partnership is key. Gujarat's policy frameworks in ports, renewable energy could be very relevant for them.
P
Priya S
While such meetings are important for diplomacy, I hope the focus remains on tangible outcomes for common people. Will this cooperation bring down prices of goods? Create jobs? Sometimes these high-level talks feel far removed from our daily struggles. Let's see the actual implementation.
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Rohit P
JVP is a major party there. Engaging with all political stakeholders is a smart move by Gujarat CM. Strengthening ties across the Palk Strait is in our national interest. The Vibrant Gujarat summit invite is a great platform. More such sub-national diplomacy please!
K
Kavya N
The mention of the sacred Buddha relics is heartwarming. It shows our relationship isn't just transactional but deeply cultural and spiritual. Sharing our heritage strengthens bonds. Also, if Sri Lanka learns from Amul's cooperative model, it could really help their rural economy. Win-win!

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