Indian High Commissioner says sky is the limit for cooperation with Delhi

The sky is the limit for the partnership between India and Sri Lanka, India’s High Commissioner in Colombo Gopal Baglay said on Thursday as he emphasised the importance of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme in overall bilateral ties. The High Commission of India in Colombo celebrated ITEC Day 2022 to mark 58 years of capacity-building partnership between India and Sri Lanka through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC).

Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha, and Ministry Secretary Nihal Ranasingha were the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour respectively.

“High Commissioner emphasised the importance of #ITEC cooperation in the overall India-Sri Lanka partnership and remarked that “sky is the limit” for the bilateral partnership,” the Indian High Commissioner said.

Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) is a bilateral assistance programme run by the Government of India. Baglay said this is a demand-driven, response-oriented programme that focuses on addressing the needs of developing countries through innovative technological cooperation between India and the partnering nation.The High Commissioner also noted India’s endeavour to help Sri Lanka in the education sector, including in higher education through partnerships between higher education institutes in India and Sri Lanka.

India and Sri Lanka are to increase cooperation in education and skills training, he said. The event was attended by over 100 participants, which included ITEC alumni from Sri Lanka, officials and professionals from diverse sectors who have participated in various training courses in India under ITEC programmes. In his address, Minister Premajayantha lauded the historically close relations between India and Sri Lanka for more than 2000 years. He appreciated India for the ITEC slots and the annual scholarships offered to Sri Lankan nationals and thanked India for the financial support extended to Sri Lanka in recent months.