Sri Lanka and Russia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on transport cooperation at the International Transport and Logistics Forum in St. Petersburg, broadening bilateral ties beyond their stalled energy talks.
The agreement was signed between Russia’s Ministry of Transport, led by Minister Andrey Nikitin, and Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development under Minister Bimal Rathnayake. It covers multimodal transport hubs, urban and regional mobility, road safety, transport law, digitalisation and environmental sustainability.
The most concrete project under discussion is the rehabilitation of the 60-kilometre Kelani Valley railway line running from Colombo to Avissawella. Officials explored potential Russian involvement in modernising the aging commuter corridor and supplying rolling stock. No financing figures or timelines were disclosed.
Moscow also proposed establishing a branch of the Russian University of Transport (MIIT) in Colombo to support workforce training and vocational education in the sector. The deal envisages joint educational conferences, workshops and technical exchanges.
On aviation, both sides said they would work to expand direct passenger services. Over 219,000 passengers travelled between the two countries in 2025, with nearly 31,000 recorded in January 2026 alone, reflecting the rebound of Russian inbound tourism to Sri Lanka.
The MoU is distinct from earlier Sri Lanka–Russia energy talks held in Moscow on March 30 and Colombo on April 2, which produced diplomatic language but no crude supply terms. The transport track is led by a different ministry and has a separate agenda focused on infrastructure and connectivity rather than fuel.
It marks a rare area of forward momentum in Sri Lanka–Russia relations at a moment when Colombo is also pursuing India and China as bilateral partners during the escalating Middle East energy crisis.
