GCCI organized an interactive meeting with the Sri Lankan delegation in the presence of Shri Sandeep Engineer, President, GCCI; Shri Gaurang Bhagat, Hon. Treasurer; H.E. Ms. Mahishini Colonne, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India; Hon’ble Minister Counsellor (Commerce) Mr. Lakshmendra Geshan Dissanayake; and Shri Rakeshbhai Shah, Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka to Gujarat.
At the outset, a presentation about GCCI’s vision, mission, and activities was made by GCCI International Trade Committee Co-Chairman Shri Navroz Tarapore.
Welcoming the participants, GCCI President Shri Sandeep Engineer emphasized GCCI’s role as a platform to create B2B liaison with other nations. He expressed confidence that the present interaction would lead to exploring B2B opportunities between Gujarat and Sri Lanka. He also remarked about GCCI’s participation in the ensuing “Sri Lanka Economy & Investment Summit” being held at Colombo, Sri Lanka on 2ndand 3rdDecember, 2025.
A key highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC). The MoU aims to promote bilateral trade, facilitate business collaboration, and strengthen economic ties between India and Sri Lanka. It also seeks to organize virtual events such as webinars, virtual B2B meetings, conferences, stakeholder interactions and discussions. The agreement marks a new chapter of cooperation between the two chambers, paving the way for enhanced commercial exchanges and mutual growth.
Speaking on the occasion, Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka to Gujarat Shri Rakesh Shah mentioned the importance of strengthening ties between Gujarat and Sri Lanka and expressed confidence that the coming months and years would witness positive B2B outcomes. He also shared information about the forthcoming Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit in Colombo, assuring that a large delegation from Gujarat will participate in it. He noted that the summit would provide B2B opportunities for Gujarat’s port industry, logistics, value-added services, agriculture, electronics, IT, and pharmaceuticals sectors.
H.E. Ms. Mahishini Colonne, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, mentioned that this was her first visit, especially to the dynamic state of Gujarat. She drew cultural parallels between Gujarat and Sri Lanka, both being historically sea-faring communities. She emphasized the strategic importance of Mundra and Colombo ports for maritime and logistics activities and elaborated on priority investment sectors and upcoming exhibitions in Sri Lanka.
Mr. Lakshmendra Geshan Dissanayake, Minister Counsellor (Commercial), shared insights on Sri Lanka’s economic outlook, trade, and investment opportunities. He highlighted the country’s strong GDP growth, declining inflation, and rising foreign exchange reserves, along with reforms introduced to boost trade and industry. He reiterated Sri Lanka’s commitment to sustainable growth and shared details about key upcoming events, including the Sri Lankan Economic & Investment Summit (2–3 December 2025), FACETS Sri Lanka Gems & Jewellery Show (3–5 January 2026), and Sri Lanka Expo 2026 (18–21 June 2026).
The session concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by GCCI Travel & Tourism Taskforce Chairman Shri Sanjeev Chhajer.
