Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Tourism, Prof. Ruwan Chaminda Ranasinghe, on Saturday (May 02) hailed Indian travellers as a key pillar in helping the island's tourism remain sustainable and a key engine of economic growth for the country, saying they provide "consistency and resilience throughout the year for the island's growing tourism industry."&nbsp;Addressing the Zee Media and WION's Global Innovation &amp; Leadership Summit in Colombo on the theme of "The Island where India Feels at Home," Prof. Ranasinghe made a candid admission about the untapped potential of the Indian market, noting that while 32.7 million Indians travelled abroad in 2025, Sri Lanka received only 31,000 of them. "I feel something is wrong here, and I think there is something to be fixed, which will be our focus in the years to come," he said, pointing to the island's geographic advantages as a starting point.&nbsp;Outlining his vision for deeper bilateral ties, the minister said, "India and Sri Lanka together can emerge as a unified economic zone that will help drive the growth and future of the Global South." He identified agriculture, marine industries, and the creative sector as the three areas where he sees "significant growth potential in the coming years."&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-clears-8-6-bn-arms-sales-to-israel-qatar-uae-and-kuwait-amid-iran-tensions-1777727156079">Trump administration clears $8.6 bn arms sales to Israel, Qatar, UAE and Kuwait amid Iran tensions</a>&nbsp;Highlighting Sri Lanka's unique tourism proposition, Prof. Ranasinghe said that, unlike many destinations where travellers must choose between experiences, Sri Lanka offers the opportunity to combine multiple experiences within a single journey. He also noted that India remains the top outbound destination for Sri Lankans as well, particularly for Buddhist pilgrimages, underscoring the deep cultural ties binding the two nations.&nbsp;Acknowledging the rapidly shifting landscape of global travel, the minister said, "Global travel is evolving, and AI is adapting to these changing trends and consumer preferences. We are witnessing a shift from short-term visits to longer stays, with digital nomads choosing to spend several months here."&nbsp;Expressing confidence in Sri Lanka’s tourism outlook, Prof. Ranasinghe acknowledged the challenges ahead, noting that the island competes in a highly competitive global tourism market dominated by established destinations such as Thailand and Bali. However, he remained optimistic, stressing that tourism continues to be a key pillar of the Sri Lankan economy with benefits reaching across sectors. He also underlined that Indian travellers will play a crucial role in sustaining long-term growth and resilience in the sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;Echoing similar sentiments at the Zee WION Global Innovation &amp; Leadership Summit, Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, expressed optimism that identifying agriculture, marine, and creative industries as key sectors likely to drive growth in the coming years. He also underscored the importance of closer regional integration, stating that India and Sri Lanka together can function as “one economic zone” that has the potential to power the future of the Global South.&nbsp;

The minister flagged a stark gap between the 32.7 million Indians travelling abroad in 2025 and just 31,000 visiting Sri Lanka, stressing that closing this gap will be central to the island’s tourism strategy going forward.

Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Tourism, Prof. Ruwan Chaminda Ranasinghe, on Saturday (May 02) hailed Indian travellers as a key pillar in helping the island's tourism remain sustainable and a key engine of economic growth for the country, saying they provide "consistency and resilience throughout the year for the island's growing tourism industry." Addressing the Zee Media and WION's Global Innovation & Leadership Summit in Colombo on the theme of "The Island where India Feels at Home," Prof. Ranasinghe made a candid admission about the untapped potential of the Indian market, noting that while 32.7 million Indians travelled abroad in 2025, Sri Lanka received only 31,000 of them. "I feel something is wrong here, and I think there is something to be fixed, which will be our focus in the years to come," he said, pointing to the island's geographic advantages as a starting point. Outlining his vision for deeper bilateral ties, the minister said, "India and Sri Lanka together can emerge as a unified economic zone that will help drive the growth and future of the Global South." He identified agriculture, marine industries, and the creative sector as the three areas where he sees "significant growth potential in the coming years." Also Read: Trump administration clears $8.6 bn arms sales to Israel, Qatar, UAE and Kuwait amid Iran tensions Highlighting Sri Lanka's unique tourism proposition, Prof. Ranasinghe said that, unlike many destinations where travellers must choose between experiences, Sri Lanka offers the opportunity to combine multiple experiences within a single journey. He also noted that India remains the top outbound destination for Sri Lankans as well, particularly for Buddhist pilgrimages, underscoring the deep cultural ties binding the two nations. Acknowledging the rapidly shifting landscape of global travel, the minister said, "Global travel is evolving, and AI is adapting to these changing trends and consumer preferences. We are witnessing a shift from short-term visits to longer stays, with digital nomads choosing to spend several months here." Expressing confidence in Sri Lanka’s tourism outlook, Prof. Ranasinghe acknowledged the challenges ahead, noting that the island competes in a highly competitive global tourism market dominated by established destinations such as Thailand and Bali. However, he remained optimistic, stressing that tourism continues to be a key pillar of the Sri Lankan economy with benefits reaching across sectors. He also underlined that Indian travellers will play a crucial role in sustaining long-term growth and resilience in the sector. Echoing similar sentiments at the Zee WION Global Innovation & Leadership Summit, Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, expressed optimism that identifying agriculture, marine, and creative industries as key sectors likely to drive growth in the coming years. He also underscored the importance of closer regional integration, stating that India and Sri Lanka together can function as “one economic zone” that has the potential to power the future of the Global South.

The minister flagged a stark gap between the 32.7 million Indians travelling abroad in 2025 and just 31,000 visiting Sri Lanka, stressing that closing this gap will be central to the island’s tourism strategy going forward.

‘Key to sustainability’: Sri Lanka Deputy Tourism Minister hails Indian travelers, pushes for deeper economic ties

Leader of the Opposition of Sri Lanka, and founder and leader of Samagi Jana Balawegaya Sajith Premadasa, while speaking at WION’s Global Innovation and Leadership Summit held in Colombo on Saturday (May 2) said that his country believes in nurturing its relations with India. He also backed India's bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.&nbsp;Speaking at the event Premadasa said "We believe in nurturing strategic ties with India." He then said, "Sri Lanka strongly backs India’s bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council."<h2>Premadasa urges India to play larger role</h2>In the face of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East he said, "The ongoing conflicts in West Asia and the Middle East, along with the deeply concerning spillover of military hostilities into the Indian Ocean region, serve as a stark reminder of our shared vulnerabilities."&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bargi-dam-cruise-boat-tragedy-heartbreaking-photo-of-mother-and-son-clinging-to-each-other-fake-jabalpur-collector-says-ai-generated-1777701429547">Bargi Dam cruise boat tragedy: Heartbreaking photo of mother and son clinging to each other fake? Jabalpur collector says...</a>&nbsp;Given the security scenario, Premadas urged India to play a larger role to “maintain long-term peace across the South Asian region.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Sri Lanka has navigated its way through an unprecedented economic crucible. We have weathered the storms, borne the hardships of structural reforms and emerged with a resilient, stabilized macroeconomic foundation. Now the era of near recovery is behind us,&quot; says Sajith… <a href="https://t.co/ntDoHWQKAe">pic.twitter.com/ntDoHWQKAe</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/2050503316896141312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"In this volatile climate, India’s role is absolutely indispensable for ensuring security, enforcing stability, and maintaining long-term peace across the South Asian region. The Global South must work together to democratise access to artificial intelligence infrastructure," said Premadas at WION's Leadership Summit.&nbsp;He also said that economic crisis faced by Sri Lanka in the recent years is a thing of the past and his country has entered an "era of near recovery".&nbsp;"Sri Lanka has navigated its way through an unprecedented economic crucible. We have weathered the storms, borne the hardships of structural reforms and emerged with a resilient, stabilized macroeconomic foundation. Now the era of near recovery is behind us," said Sajith Premadasa

Given the security scenario, Premadas urged India to play a larger role to maintain long-term peace across the South Asian region.

Leader of the Opposition of Sri Lanka, and founder and leader of Samagi Jana Balawegaya Sajith Premadasa, while speaking at WION’s Global Innovation and Leadership Summit held in Colombo on Saturday (May 2) said that his country believes in nurturing its relations with India. He also backed India's bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council. Speaking at the event Premadasa said "We believe in nurturing strategic ties with India." He then said, "Sri Lanka strongly backs India’s bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council." Premadasa urges India to play larger role In the face of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East he said, "The ongoing conflicts in West Asia and the Middle East, along with the deeply concerning spillover of military hostilities into the Indian Ocean region, serve as a stark reminder of our shared vulnerabilities." ALSO READ: Bargi Dam cruise boat tragedy: Heartbreaking photo of mother and son clinging to each other fake? Jabalpur collector says... Given the security scenario, Premadas urged India to play a larger role to “maintain long-term peace across the South Asian region.”

Given the security scenario, Premadas urged India to play a larger role to "maintain long-term peace across the South Asian region.

WION summit: Sri Lanka backs India's bid for permanent UNSC seat, says opposition leader Sajith Premadasa

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‘Key to sustainability’: Sri Lanka Deputy Tourism Minister hails Indian travelers, pushes for deeper economic ties

WION summit: Sri Lanka backs India's bid for permanent UNSC seat