Indian High Commissioner Highlights Strong India–Sri Lanka Ties on 79th Independence Day
Colombo – LankaXpress – High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Santosh Jha, in his Independence Day message, reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Sri Lanka, describing the two nations as “Civilisational Twins” bound by deep-rooted historical, cultural, and democratic ties.
Marking India’s 79th Independence Day, he highlighted the country’s rapid economic progress, noting that India has become the world’s fourth-largest economy with a GDP exceeding USD 4 trillion and is on track to overtake Germany to become the third-largest by 2028. He also cited a significant reduction in extreme poverty — from 27.1% in 2011-12 to 5.3% in 2022-23 — alongside a decline in inequality, crediting policy reforms such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), and social protection programmes like Ayushman Bharat and Jan Dhan Yojana.
Underscoring India’s commitment to sustainable growth, he noted that 50% of the country’s installed electricity capacity now comes from non-fossil fuel sources, achieving this milestone five years ahead of schedule.
Focusing on bilateral relations, the High Commissioner recalled recent high-level exchanges, including Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s first official visit abroad to India and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State Visit to Colombo in April 2025. He emphasised that India has consistently stood by Sri Lanka during challenging times such as the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recent economic crisis.
India, he said, is shifting from a credit-based approach to an investment-led partnership, aiming to boost Sri Lanka’s economic development without adding to its debt burden. India remains Sri Lanka’s largest trading partner, top investor, and leading source of tourists.
He highlighted several ongoing and new projects under India’s development partnership, including the Dambulla temperature-controlled warehouse, railway projects, the Sampur Power project, solar rooftop systems for religious sites, assistance for the Sacred City Complex in Anuradhapura, Thirukoneswaram Temple, Sita Eliya Temple, housing initiatives, the Suwaseriya Ambulance Service, the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre, and the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity Project.
“India and Sri Lanka are deeply connected — not just by geography, but by shared aspirations and a common future,” he said, stressing India’s commitment to ensuring its growth benefits its neighbours, particularly Sri Lanka, through partnerships based on trust, respect, and mutual benefit.
He concluded with a call to renew the commitment to a future of shared peace, progress, and prosperity.
2025 Independence Day Supplement
