The India-Sri Lanka Innovation Forum was launched in Colombo on 12 November in the presence of Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, as a business-led platform intended to bring together business leaders, incubators and funds to support startups, agree joint projects and strengthen links between the two countries’ innovation ecosystems.
The launch drew corporate leaders from Dialog Axiata PLC, John Keells Holdings PLC, Hayleys PLC, Hemas Holdings PLC and Sunshine Holdings PLC, alongside innovation networks and centres of excellence including Trace Expert City, nVentures, Hatch, SLASSCOM, the Lanka Angel Network and Yarl IT.
Four Indian institutional figures joined virtually: IIT Madras Pravartak chief executive Dr. Shankar Raman, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) chief executive and director Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, Atal Innovation Mission director Dr. Deepak Bagla, and Nasscom SME Council chairman Maulik Bhansali.
Existing collaboration
The forum follows a series of technology and startup initiatives between the two countries over recent years, which the report describes as having evolved into a distinct new pillar of the bilateral relationship focused on technology, innovation and startup collaboration.
These include collaboration between StartUp India and ICTA, now GovTech, and mutual exploration of each other’s startup ecosystems. Nasscom’s “Disha” programme for technology SMEs was extended to Sri Lanka, the first country outside India to receive it.
IIT Madras Pravartak has run a six-week capacity-building and full-immersion programme for Sri Lankan startups and has signed a memorandum of understanding with SLASSCOM and Dialog. Atal Tinkering Labs were launched in Sri Lanka on 4 November 2026 as a partnership between Hemas Holdings and Nalanda College. The Wireless Intelligence and Innovation Institute of Technology, a clean-network research and development centre linking IIT Madras Pravartak, IIT Madras Global, the University of Oulu in Finland and Sri Lankan universities, was launched in June 2026. C-CAMP, described in the report as India’s leading biotechnology incubator, visited Sri Lanka in September 2026 and is exploring innovation partnerships.
Sourcing note
Among verified Sri Lankan newsrooms this launch was carried only by Daily FT, whose report reads as an account supplied by the Indian High Commission rather than independently reported — it carries no attributed quotation from any participant and no Sri Lankan government comment. Searches found the same material on aggregator and syndication sites, which under this desk’s sourcing rules do not count toward corroboration, and no second verified newsroom filing. The Island, which would be a likely second carrier, is currently unreachable.
Not reported
The report gives no funding figure, no governance structure for the forum and no membership criteria, and does not say which organisation will convene or secretariat it. It does not identify any of the “joint projects” the forum is to decide on, give a date for its first working session, or say whether Sri Lankan government agencies beyond GovTech are party to it. It also does not state whether the forum has a defined term or budget.
