Moragoda seeks bilateral cooperation with India’s transport sector

High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda Friday met India’s Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi to discuss bilateral cooperation in the transport sector, Moragoda’s office announced.

The cordial discussion focused on collaboration and partnership between the two countries in the transport sector with Moragoda requesting Gadkari’s assistance in sharing India’s experience in public-private partnerships in highways with Sri Lanka through a platform set up for this purpose.

He suggested that Indian investors could be encouraged to positively look at investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s infrastructure. Minister Gadkari expressed his support to these proposals.

As India aims to become a developed economy by 2047, its government has focused on boosting infrastructure, including highways and the road network. India’s spending on infrastructure has gone up several times over the last decade to hit a record Rs 10 trillion for the next financial year.

The discussion included the electrified mobility sector with India sharing with Sri Lanka its experience, expertise and best practices in the electrical vehicle industry. Moragoda also sought the minister’s assistance in encouraging Indian private companies from this sector to invest in Sri Lanka.

The interaction included Moragoda briefing the Indian minister on the economic revival programme in Sri Lanka and observing that India is playing a pivotal role in it. He also presented a copy of his policy roadmap the ” Integrated Country Strategy for Sri Lanka Diplomatic Missions in India 2021/2023″ to Gadkari who in turn presented a copy of his latest book ‘Unmasking India’ to the High Commissioner.

Hailing from the State of Maharashtra, Shri Nitin Gadkari is the longest serving Minister for Road Transport and Highways of India with a tenure running for over eight years in this post since 2014.

He also served as the President of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2009 to 2013. Previously, he has held the ministerial portfolios of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises; Shipping; Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation; and Rural Development & Panchayati Raj. He has authored several books as well.