A group of Montana business leaders has offered to explore potential collaboration in the Sri Lanka’s graphite mining sector, according to a statement issued by the Sri Lanka embassy in Washington.

According to the Sri Lanka mission, a virtual meeting has been held between the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C. and a delegation of Montana business leaders recently. It has been facilitated by the Montana National Guard (MTNG). The primary focus of the meeting was the exploration of potential collaboration in Sri Lanka’s graphite mining sector.

The presentation was made by Professor Kusali Gamage (Professor in Geosciences) on behalf of the Montana side, highlighting the significant untapped potential in this important sector, emphasizing that Sri Lankan graphite, renowned globally for its purity, is currently exported with minimal value addition and utilizing traditional mining methods. There is a clear opportunity to introduce advanced technologies and value-added processing techniques to significantly enhance the sector’s profitability and global competitiveness. Professor Gamage also mentioned her plans to lead a delegation of 15-20 U.S. based graphite researchers to Sri Lanka next April for a Graphite Mining Summit, further demonstrating a strong commitment of collaboration in this sector. A landmark five-day graphite workshop will be held at the University of Peradeniya from April 27 to May 1, 2026, bringing together experts from Sri Lanka and the United States. Participants will share knowledge, conduct field visits, and explore research and development opportunities at Sri Lanka’s renowned vein graphite mines in Bogala, Kahatagaha, and Ragedara.

The Ambassador underscored the favorable tariff environment between the U.S. and Sri Lanka, and the strong bilateral relationship currently in place. He also reiterated that this presents a significant opportunity for Montana businesses to explore diverse investment opportunities across various sectors in Sri Lanka. The Embassy is committed to facilitating these connections and supporting foreign direct investment opportunities.

The highly successful State Partnership Program (SPP) initiated in 2022 between the Montana National Guard (MTNG) of State of Montana U.S.A, and the Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka has already yielded significant training opportunities for Sri Lankan Armed Force, particularly in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense, and other crucial areas. The strong and growing relationship is further evidenced by numerous high-level exchanges, including reciprocal visits by senior military and government officials, and productive collaborations in diverse fields such as medical operations and aviation maintenance.

The University of Montana and the Central & Southwest Asia Institute invited the Ambassador to attend presentations, participate in panels, and provide a speech to students in the University of Montana and Central & Southwest Asia Summit in Montana from April 1st to the 2nd. In addition to this academic engagement, the MTNG, will be coordinating a meeting between the Ambassador and Governor Montana, along with key senior business executives of the state.