Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister, Harini Amarasuriya, is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday, October 16, 2025. Her visit includes a series of events and high-level meetings with prominent Indian leaders and key figures from the business community. This trip to India comes immediately after her visit to Beijing, where she participated in the ‘Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women 2025.
During her three-day stay in India, marking her first official visit since taking office as Premier last year, Ms. Amarasuriya is slated to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She will also hold discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who is expected to call on her on Thursday, October 16, 2025, as confirmed by official sources in New Delhi.
The visiting Sri Lankan leader will also engage with representatives from various business chambers and industry bodies. Officials highlight that these interactions aim to strengthen the partnership between India and Sri Lanka in areas such as trade, investment, and development cooperation.
Earlier in April 2025, Prime Minister Modi visited Sri Lanka and expressed his appreciation for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s “sensitivity towards Indian interests.”
President Dissanayake, a leftist leader who was elected to the country’s top office in a landmark election in 2024, and his government have consistently affirmed their commitment to a neutral foreign policy. This approach extends to both India and China, recognizing both nations as crucial partners for the island nation.
Just prior to her India visit, on October 14, 2025, Prime Minister Amarasuriya met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Reflecting on the meeting, she stated in a social media post: “Our discussion focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation, advancing development partnerships under the Belt and Road Initiative, and deepening collaboration across multiple sectors.”
A statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry underscored the close ties, describing China and Sri Lanka as “fellow travellers” and affirming that “China always regards Sri Lanka as a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy.”
Furthermore, during his meeting with PM Amarasuriya, President Xi expressed China’s readiness to collaborate with Sri Lanka on “high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.” He also proposed expanding cooperation in areas such as port economy, modern agriculture, digital economy, green economy, and tourism, all aimed at boosting Sri Lanka’s economic and social development. Both sides also agreed to enhance security cooperation, according to the statement.
Ms. Amarasuriya’s itinerary in New Delhi also includes a special felicitation event at Hindu College, Delhi University. This institution holds personal significance for her, as it is where the academic-turned-politician earned her first degree.
An anthropologist by profession, Harini Amarasuriya was a respected voice in Sri Lankan academia, having taught at the Open University of Sri Lanka before transitioning into active politics. Her research spanned critical areas including mental health, gender, and labor. She was also a prominent activist, advocating for increased state funding in public education. Before her entry into politics in 2019, when she was nominated to Parliament by the National People’s Power, Ms. Amarasuriya played a key role as a member of the Public Representations Committee on Constitutional Reforms in Sri Lanka, a Cabinet-appointed body responsible for the country’s initial nationwide public consultations on constitutional reform.