India and Sri Lanka reviewed bilateral cooperation in the power sector at a meeting in New Delhi on Friday, the news agency ANI reported.
The Indian delegation was led by Manohar Lal, Union Minister of Power and of Housing and Urban Affairs. The Sri Lankan side was led by Anura Karunathilake, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation and Minister of Energy.
The ministers reviewed progress on ongoing bilateral initiatives, including the proposed India–Sri Lanka HVDC interconnection and the Sampur Solar Power Project.
Grid links and cross-border trade
Discussions covered cross-border electricity trade, renewable energy, transmission infrastructure and capacity building, with the stated aim of improving energy security and supporting the region’s shift to cleaner generation.
The Indian side shared its experience of developing transmission systems through the Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding framework, a public-private partnership model, according to the agency’s account of the meeting.
Both delegations reviewed progress under existing bilateral mechanisms. Manohar Lal restated India’s commitment to the energy partnership, while Karunathilake acknowledged India’s continued support and said Sri Lanka intended to expand cooperation further.
Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary at India’s Ministry of Power, and other senior Indian officials attended. The Sri Lankan delegation included Mahishini Colonne, High Commissioner to India.
Follows the Misri visit
The meeting came days after Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri wrapped up an official visit to Colombo, during which the Sri Lankan readout listed energy among the areas discussed. Friday’s talks appear to be the concrete follow-through on that strand.
Both projects under review are long-running. The HVDC interconnection — a proposed undersea link between the two grids — remains at the proposal stage, while the Sampur solar plant in Trincomalee is a joint venture between the Ceylon Electricity Board and India’s NTPC.
Ada Derana carried its own account of the meeting on Saturday, relaying the same ANI copy. Its version places the talks in the context of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and its Vision MAHASAGAR framework, and describes them as a step towards implementing commitments made during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India in December 2024 and the agreements signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Colombo in April 2025.
Both published reports trace to the same agency account; neither Sri Lankan newsroom has so far reported the meeting independently.
Sources: ANI, Ada Derana.
