The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Honourable Dr. Harini Amarasuriya undertook an official visit to India from 16-18 October 2025 – her first official visit to India since assuming office.
On 17 October, The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Honourable Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. The discussions focused on education reform – including higher education and vocational training – as well as trade, technology cooperation, and the welfare of Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen.
Earlier, on 16 October, the External Affairs Minister of India, Shri S. Jaishankar called on the Honourable Prime Minister. The meeting reviewed ongoing bilateral cooperation and explored avenues for further strengthening of ties following the visit of President Anura Kumara Disanayaka to India in December 2024, and Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025.
The Honourable Prime Minister also met with Ambassadors and High Commissioners concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka at a Reception hosted in her honour by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, Mahishini Colonne. Addressing representatives from 99 Missions, the Prime Minister outlined Sri Lanka’s transformative reform agenda under President Anura Kumara Disanayaka’s leadership, including economic recovery, governance reforms, and inclusive and sustainable development. She identified education reform as central to national renewal, and called for deeper international collaboration including in curriculum design, vocational training, and higher education partnerships. Reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening regional connectivity, she underlined the country’s vision to emerge as a maritime and economic hub in the Indian Ocean, inviting greater engagement and investment from partner nations.
A distinguished alumna of Hindu College, Delhi University, The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Honourable Dr. Harini Amarasuriya revisited her alma mater on 16 October. She received a warm welcome from students, faculty, alumni, and the governing body, and was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour by the National Cadet Corps contingent, which was followed by a ceremonial tree-planting on the College lawn.
In her Address and in the Q&A which followed, she reflected on her formative years at Hindu College and underscored the importance of questioning, participation, and service in political and civic life. She urged students to remain engaged in politics ant to view education as a bridge-builder between communities and nations.
The Prime Minister toured the campus and revisited the Sociology Classroom (Room 27) where she studied from 1991 to 1994 as well as the Perfumery Laboratory which integrates industry-led learning. The College also inaugurated the “Harini Amarasuriya Social & Ethnographic Research Lab” in recognition of her contributions to academia and social research.
The Old Students Association of Hindu College headed by its current President Ravi Burman felicitated the Prime Minister with the Special Distinguished Alumni Award.
On 17 October, the Prime Minister participated in the NDTV World Summit 2025 that was held under the theme “Edge of the Unknown: Risk, Resolve, Renewal”. Delivering the Keynote Address on the theme “Steering Change in Uncertain Times”, the Prime Minister highlighted Sri Lanka’s vision for deeper cooperation with India, emphasising resilience, sustainability, and mutually beneficial partnerships, and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to working with India for shared growth and stability across the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.
The Prime Minister visited key Indian institutions including the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, and the Sarvodaya Co-Ed School in Delhi’s Rohini area. Accompanied by the Minister of Education of Delhi, Shri Ashish Sood, the Prime Minister toured the facilities of the Sarvodaya Co-Ed School, and observed modern teaching techniques, and classroom activities including wellness and counselling facilities as well as sustainability initiatives.
In a meeting with representatives of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Prime Minister discussed expanding collaboration in education, skills development, innovation, and digital transformation. She emphasised that “no nation can advance sustainability without investing in its people – their knowledge, skills, and creativity”.
Responding to a request from the Organising Committee of the Women’s World Cup Cricket for the Blind, the Prime Minister met with the Indian Women’s Blind Cricket Team. The first Women’s T20 World Cup Cricket for the Blind will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from 11 – 23 November 2025, with the inaugural matches in Delhi, the mid-stage in Bengaluru, and the final leg in Colombo, culminating in the final match and closing ceremony on 23 November 2025.
Concluding her visit, the Prime Minister attended a Civic Reception hosted in her honour by the India Foundation. The event was graced by former President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Hardeep Singh Puri.
In her Address, the Prime Minister highlighted the deep-rooted civilizational and cultural ties between Sri Lanka and India, describing the relationship as one that cannot be measured merely in diplomatic terms or trade statistics, but as a bond of shared history and mutual understanding. She reaffirmed that Sri Lanka – India relations are currently at their strongest, underpinned by cooperation in energy, digital, economic, and people-to-people connectivity, and expressed confidence that the partnership will continue to flourish as both nations work together for peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region.
