Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) Leads High-Powered Business Delegation to Sri Lanka to Boost Bilateral Trade and Investment

A high-level trade and business delegation from the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce  and Industry (SGCCI), led by President of SGCCI Ashok Jirawala, 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 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 in 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 its mission by attending the opening ceremony of INTEX Sri  Lanka Expo 2026, highlighting India’s presence in the textile and manufacturing sectors. The  delegation subsequently met with Director General of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka  (BOI), Sulakshana Jayawardena, and senior officials to explore investment opportunities,  policy incentives and industrial projects. The trade mission also engaged with 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 held an interactive business meeting with the Ceylon Chamber of  Commerce, led by 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 served  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 has  fostered growth, innovation and global competitiveness through international trade fairs,  policy advocacy and business networking. 

The visit marked an important milestone in deepening trade relations between South Gujarat  and Sri Lanka and supported SGCCI’s Global Connect initiative to link regional enterprises  with international trade opportunities.