A high-level trade and business delegation from the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI), led by SGCCI President Ashok Jirawala, successfully undertook an official visit to Sri Lanka from 5 to 8 August 2026 aimed at strengthening cross-border trade linkages, fostering industrial collaboration, and expanding bilateral investment opportunities between Sri Lanka and India.
The trade mission and its high-level engagements in Colombo were facilitated by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai, highlighting the Consulate’s ongoing efforts to promote regional economic cooperation, trade, and commercial partnerships between Western India and Sri Lanka.
The SGCCI delegation comprised prominent business leaders and entrepreneurs representing diverse sectors from Surat and South Gujarat, including textiles, green energy, gems and jewellery, apparel, import-export, and elastic tape manufacturing.
During the visit, the SGCCI delegation participated in a series of strategic interactions with key government agencies, industrial bodies, and business leaders.
The delegation commenced their mission by attending the opening ceremony of the INTEX Sri Lanka Expo 2026, showcasing India’s strong presence in textiles and manufacturing. Later, they met with the Director General Sulakshana Jayawardena and senior officials of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) to explore investment opportunities, policy incentives, and industrial projects. Subsequently, the trade mission engaged with the Chairman and CEO of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) Mangala Wijesinghe and visited local gem exporters to explore trade synergies in gems and jewellery.
The delegation also had an interactive business meeting with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, led by its Chairperson Krishan Balendra. A key highlight of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two chambers to facilitate institutional trade cooperation and long-term networking, followed by structured B2B meetings.
Established in 1940, the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been serving the trade and business community of South Gujarat for over eight decades. Based in Surat—the world’s diamond-cutting centre and India’s leading man-made textile hub—SGCCI fosters growth, innovation, and global competitiveness through international trade fairs, policy advocacy, and business networking.
The visit marks an important milestone in deepening trade relations between South Gujarat and Sri Lanka, supporting SGCCI's Global Connect initiative to link regional enterprises with international trade opportunities.
10 August 2026
