The India-Sri Lanka Strategic Dialogue, hosted by the Pathfinder Foundation in association with the Ananta Aspen Centre of India, took place in Colombo on 25 March 2025. Coming a week before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka on April 5, the Dialogue serves as a valuable platform to explore key bilateral and regional matters that are expected to influence the India-Lanka discourse.

Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of Pathfinder Foundation, delivered the opening remarks, followed by Dr. Naushad Forbes, Chairman of Ananta Aspen Centre. Indian High Commissioner Santhosh Jha delivered special remarks.

Over four sessions, subject experts examined in-depth issues such as balancing great power influence in South Asia, the India-Lanka fishing dispute, securing the shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, defence cooperation within the Indian Ocean framework, India’s role in infrastructure development in Sri Lanka, and the opportunities for both countries to shape best practices and technology in digital governance.  The Dialogue emphasised the importance of strengthening India-Lanka economic ties, particularly in the context of Sri Lanka’s post-IMF recovery program.

 Session 1, titled “India and Sri Lanka Bilateral Relations,” was moderated by Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, the former High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka. Session 2, titled “Strategic Partnerships in the Indian Ocean – India-Sri Lanka Relations for Regional Stability” was chaired by Ahmed A. Jawad, Director of the Pathfinder Foundation. Ms. Indrani Bagchi, Chief Executive Officer of Ananta Aspen Centre, moderated Session 3 on “Navigating Investment Opportunities between India and Sri Lanka, “while Mahesh Perera, Chief Executive Officer of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), chaired Session 4, which focused on “Digital Public Infrastructure.”

 Pathfinder Foundation’s Director, Ahmed A. Jawad, and Indrani Bagchi, Chief Executive Officer of Ananta Aspen Centre, delivered closing remarks.

This latest interaction between Pathfinder and Anantha is the third in a series of discussions. The two sides previously held dialogues on ‘Bridging Borders: Enhancing Connectivity between India and Sri Lanka’ and’ Navigating the Maritime Maze: India and Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean Region.’

The representatives of the two institutions held a wrap-up session at a breakfast hosted by Pathfinder Founder Milinda Moragoda, during which they discussed the future programs they plan to undertake.