India and Sri Lanka on Friday reviewed progress on key bilateral energy projects and explored ways to deepen cooperation in the power sector, with a focus on cross-border electricity trade, renewable energy and transmission infrastructure.
The discussions took place during a bilateral meeting in New Delhi between Union Minister for Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation and Minister of Energy, Anura Karunathilake.
The two ministers reviewed the progress of major initiatives, including the proposed India-Sri Lanka High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnection project and the Sampur Solar Power Project, both aimed at strengthening energy connectivity between the two neighbouring countries.
The meeting also explored opportunities to expand cooperation in renewable energy, transmission infrastructure and capacity building to enhance regional energy security and support the clean energy transition.
During the discussions, the Indian side shared its experience in developing transmission infrastructure through the Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) framework under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Both sides reviewed progress under the existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-Sri Lanka energy partnership to promote sustainable development and regional energy security.
Manohar Lal reiterated India’s commitment to expanding long-standing cooperation in the energy sector, while Anura Karunathilake appreciated India’s continued support and expressed Sri Lanka’s commitment to further deepen bilateral collaboration.
The meeting was attended by Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal and senior officials from the Government of India. The Sri Lankan delegation included High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Mahishini Colonne and other senior government officials.
