Sri Lanka and Gujarat renew trade partnership

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Surat, India, renewed their Memorandum of Understanding to reaffirm a commitment to strengthening business engagement between Sri Lanka and Gujarat.

The chairperson of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Krishan Balendra, and the president of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ashok Jirawala, signed the renewed agreement during a visit by an Indian business delegation to Colombo.

The renewal comes as businesses from both markets look at specific opportunities for trade, investment, and commercial partnerships. Following the signing, the visiting delegation engaged with Sri Lankan companies through an interactive business networking session.

The delegation represented a broad range of industries, including textiles and apparel, textile materials, garment accessories, manufacturing and industrial products, gems and jewellery, waste management, waste-to-energy, information technology, spices, and processed food.

Textile and apparel discussions examined opportunities for Gujarat-based suppliers to connect with the apparel manufacturing base in Sri Lanka, while manufacturers of garment accessories and industrial products explored potential supply and distribution partnerships.

The gems and jewellery sector featured strongly, with the delegation expressing interest in sourcing Sri Lankan sapphires and other gemstones, alongside exploring connections with local jewellery manufacturers, industry associations, and women entrepreneurs.

Beyond trade, discussions covered investment and technology opportunities, including waste-to-energy solutions and digital technologies.

Participants also explored two-way trade opportunities in spices and processed food products.

The engagement reflects the scale and diversity of the manufacturing and trading base in Gujarat, alongside the scope for Sri Lankan businesses to access new suppliers, markets, technologies, and investment partners.

Both chambers will continue to facilitate business-to-business connections, share market and industry information, and support companies from Sri Lanka and Gujarat seeking opportunities in each other's markets.