NEW DELHI : Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Mahishini Colonne highlighted opportunities for deeper India – Sri Lanka cooperation in pharmaceutical manufacturing, investment, healthcare technologies and resilient supply chains at the Ambassadors’ Conference on Healthcare Technologies and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, held on 08 September 2026 as part of the Pharma MachTech Expo & LabNext Expo 2026 in New Delhi.
Organised by the Engineering Export Promotion Council of India (EEPC India), the conference brought together diplomatic representatives from 15 countries, senior Indian government policymakers and industry representatives to exchange perspectives on investment and trade opportunities, emerging developments in pharmaceutical manufacturing and healthcare technologies, and the scope for international partnerships.
High Commissioner Colonne highlighted that India and Sri Lanka already share a strong pharmaceutical trading relationship, while emphasising the considerable scope to build on this foundation through manufacturing, investment and technology partnerships.
She outlined opportunities across the pharmaceutical value chain, including active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), medical devices, laboratory and diagnostic technologies, and quality-control systems. Sri Lanka currently imports the majority of its pharmaceutical requirements, with domestic manufacturers meeting a modest share of demand, creating significant opportunities for investment and manufacturing partnerships.
The High Commissioner highlighted Sri Lanka’s growing policy focus on pharmaceutical manufacturing, with pharmaceuticals designated as a priority investment sector. Qualifying manufacturing projects are eligible for extended tax incentives and fast-tracked regulatory approval through the National Medicines Regulatory Authority.
She also drew attention to the dedicated pharmaceutical manufacturing zone in Hambantota, established for companies seeking to develop production and technology capabilities in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s existing Free Trade Agreement with India provides an additional advantage, with more than 50 categories of pharmaceutical products and medical devices already receiving duty-free access to the Indian market.
She emphasised that, for both countries and the wider region, building manufacturing capacity closer to markets has increasingly become a matter of health security and supply-chain resilience, in addition to commercial considerations. In this context, she highlighted the potential for greater cooperation in technology transfer, skills development, research collaboration and regulatory cooperation.
Sri Lanka’s geographical proximity to India, established institutional relationship with India, and growing openness to investment across the pharmaceutical value chain were identified as important foundations for deeper collaboration.
The High Commissioner also invited Indian industry stakeholders to participate in Sri Lanka Expo 2027, Sri Lanka’s flagship trade and investment exhibition, to be held in Colombo from 14 – 17 January 2027. The Expo will provide an opportunity for Indian companies and other international stakeholders to explore trade, investment and partnership opportunities in Sri Lanka.
The Ambassadors’ Conference formed part of the second edition of Pharma MachTech Expo & LabNext Expo, held from 7 – 9 September 2026 in New Delhi.
