India Charts New Economic Pathways with Bhutan and Sri Lanka

New Delhi : India is actively deepening its economic and investment relationships with neighbouring countries as part of its strategic trade diplomacy. In a bid to explore new business opportunities and strengthen bilateral economic ties, two major Indian trade organisations – the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – recently dispatched business delegations to Bhutan and Sri Lanka, respectively.

In Bhutan, the Indian Embassy in Thimphu hosted a special interactive session on July 3 at the India House for the Ladies Study Group (LSG), a business delegation from the ICC led by its Chairperson Richa Agarwal. The event was attended by Bhutan's Minister for Education and Skill Development, Lyonpo Yeezang D. Thapa, along with members from the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Bhutan Association of Women Entrepreneurs (BAOWE), and prominent local business leaders.

Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Sudhakar Dalela, emphasized the significant progress in India-Bhutan economic cooperation. He highlighted the recent initiatives taken by both governments to improve connectivity and trade facilitation, underscoring the untapped potential in expanding bilateral trade.

Meanwhile, from June 29 to July 2, a CII CEO delegation, headed by former CII President and ITC Ltd. Chairman and Managing Director Sanjiv Puri, visited Colombo, Sri Lanka. During the visit, the delegation met with Sri Lankan President and Prime Minister, who briefed them on the country’s supportive economic environment and steps taken to promote transparent business practices and attract foreign investment.

A key highlight of the visit was the CEO Roundtable Summit organized by the Indian High Commission in collaboration with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC). The event brought together senior business leaders and industry bodies from across Sri Lanka, along with Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha.

According to the Indian High Commission, the CII delegation successfully identified areas of mutual interest for enhancing bilateral economic cooperation. The mission also reaffirmed CII's commitment to deepening investment-driven partnerships and exploring fresh avenues of collaboration between India and Sri Lanka.

These high-level business missions reflect India's ongoing efforts to build robust regional economic corridors and promote inclusive growth through strategic partnerships.