PM's State visit to Sri Lanka: seven MoUs including defence cooperation, HVDC interconnection and Trincomalee energy hub with UAE
On 5 April 2025 in Colombo, India and Sri Lanka exchanged seven MoUs, including on defence cooperation, HVDC power interconnection and a trilateral MoU with the UAE on developing Trincomalee as an energy hub, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State visit.
Summary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with President Anura Kumara Disanayaka at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on 5 April 2025, after a ceremonial welcome at Independence Square; he was the first foreign leader to pay a State visit to Sri Lanka since President Disanayaka took office in September 2024. Seven MoUs were exchanged: implementation of HVDC interconnection for import/export of power; sharing successful digital solutions implemented at population scale (MeitY and Sri Lanka's Ministry of Digital Economy); a trilateral MoU among India, Sri Lanka and the UAE on developing Trincomalee as an energy hub; defence cooperation; multi-sectoral grant assistance for the Eastern Province; health and medicine; and pharmacopoeial cooperation between the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission and Sri Lanka's National Medicines Regulatory Authority. Projects included inauguration of the upgraded Maho–Omanthai railway track, launch of the Maho–Anuradhapura signalling system, ground-breaking of the Sampur solar power project (virtual), inauguration of a temperature-controlled agricultural warehouse in Dambulla (virtual) and supply of solar rooftop systems for 5,000 religious institutions (virtual). The Prime Minister announced a capacity-building programme in India for 700 Sri Lankans annually; grant assistance for the Thirukoneswaram temple in Trincomalee, the Sita Eliya temple in Nuwara Eliya and the Sacred City Complex project in Anuradhapura; and an exposition of Lord Buddha relics in Sri Lanka on International Vesak Day 2025. Bilateral amendatory agreements on debt restructuring were also concluded.
Key facts
- Date / place
- 5 April 2025, Colombo
- MoUs
- 7: HVDC interconnection, digital solutions, Trincomalee energy hub (with UAE), defence, Eastern Province grant, health, pharmacopoeia
- Projects
- Maho–Omanthai track; Maho–Anuradhapura signalling; Sampur solar; Dambulla warehouse; solar rooftops for 5,000 religious institutions
- Announcements
- Training for 700 Sri Lankans a year; Thirukoneswaram, Sita Eliya and Anuradhapura Sacred City grants; Buddha relics for Vesak 2025
- Also
- Bilateral amendatory agreements on debt restructuring
- First
- First foreign leader on State visit since Disanayaka took office (Sept 2024)
Practice MCQs 5 questions
Besides India and Sri Lanka, which country was a party to the April 2025 MoU on developing Trincomalee as an energy hub?
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Correct answer: C — United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates; it was one of seven MoUs exchanged during the Prime Minister's visit on 5 April 2025.
Under a project launched virtually during PM Modi's April 2025 visit, solar rooftop systems are to be supplied to how many religious institutions across Sri Lanka?
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Correct answer: A — 5,000
5,000 religious institutions across Sri Lanka.
During his April 2025 visit, PM Modi announced a comprehensive capacity-building programme in India covering how many Sri Lankans annually?
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Correct answer: D — 700
700 Sri Lankans annually.
Consider the following statements about the outcomes of PM Modi's visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025: 1. The MoU on Defence Cooperation was signed on the Indian side by the Defence Secretary. 2. The ground-breaking of the Sampur Solar power project was held virtually. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
Only 2 is correct. On the Indian side, the Defence Cooperation MoU was signed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
The Sita Eliya temple, for which India announced grant assistance in April 2025, is located in which part of Sri Lanka?
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Correct answer: A — Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya; grants were also announced for the Thirukoneswaram temple in Trincomalee and the Sacred City Complex in Anuradhapura.