India calling forum on August 6th 2026 — The Lanka India Business Association (LIBA) has officially announced its landmark inaugural corporate summit, “India Calling!”, scheduled to take place on August 6, 2026, at the Taj Samudra, Colombo, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Designed to unlock bilateral trade and investment potential, the full-day forum will bring together top diplomats, political figures, global policy experts, and cross-border business leaders to pave the way for a new era of economic integration between Sri Lanka and India.
Redefining Economic Integration and Shared Prosperity
As global superpowers rapidly negotiate trade access to India’s burgeoning market, India Calling! arrives at a critical turning point for Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic recalibration. Located just 30 kilometers off India’s southern coast, Sri Lanka stands uniquely positioned to leverage access to the world’s fastest-growing major economy, which boasts a middle class of over 300 million active consumers.
The primary objective of the India Calling! forum is to transition bilateral dialogue from high-level policy theory into concrete, actionable commercial opportunities. The summit aims to detail operational friction points, evaluate regulatory frameworks, and explore strategic sectors—including renewable energy, digital public infrastructure (DPI), regional tourism, and manufacturing integration.
India is not just a neighboring market; it is an economic powerhouse whose growth can help fundamentally transform Sri Lanka’s economic trajectory,” stated Santosh Menon, President of the Lanka India Business Association. “At a time when major economies globally are forging new trade ties with India, Sri Lanka must actively capture this momentum. ‘India Calling!’ is a platform designed to unpack realistic opportunities, understand market nuances, and establish sustainable corridors for two-way investment.”
World-Class Keynotes and High-Impact Sessions
The summit features an extraordinary lineup of renowned international keynotes, scholars, and diplomats traveling from India and across the globe to offer fresh perspectives on regional trade and development:
Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former Deputy Chairman of India’s Planning Commission and a key architect of India’s transformative 1991 economic reforms, will deliver a keynote on economic structural shifts and actionable takeaways for Sri Lanka’s long-term recovery.
Professor C. Raja Mohan, one of South Asia’s leading foreign policy strategists, will address the geopolitical necessity of shared prosperity and economic interdependence as an anchor for regional stability.
Devdutt Pattanaik, celebrated mythologist, author, and corporate advisor, will present on the “Monsoon Market Myth,” dissecting how shared cultural narratives and historical commerce shape consumer behavior across South Asia.
H.E. Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, alongside Hanif Yousuf, Governor of the Western Province, will address the expansive diplomatic relationship and view bilateral economic potential through the Sri Lankan prism.
Diplomatic Insights: International perspectives will be enriched by contributions from David Pines (High Commissioner of New Zealand), Theresa Mahoney (Deputy High Commissioner of the UK), and Daisuke Shikama (JETRO).
Four Deep-Dive Panels: Grounded in Real Experience
Moving beyond abstract macroeconomic models, four dedicated panel discussions will showcase real-world case studies of corporate success and strategic policy:
1. Cracking the Indian Consumer Market: Ravi Jayawardene, Group CEO of Maliban Biscuit Manufactories, will share first-hand lessons on how an iconic Sri Lankan brand successfully penetrated and scaled within India’s competitive retail landscape.
2. Creative Economies & Cultural Export: Film director Illango Ram will analyze the cross-border distribution journey of taking Sri Lankan box-office cinema into the vast Indian media ecosystem.
3. Unpacking Historical Trade Architecture:
Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam will speak about learnings from the process of signing the current FTA, and suggest ways to implement a new one. Thilan Wijesinghe will reveal previously unpublished insights into the negotiation and execution of the original 2000 Sri Lanka–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), outlining necessary steps for modern agreement upgrades.
4. Youth, Innovation & Regulatory Unlocking: Industry scholars, legal professionals, and young entrepreneurs will deliberate on reducing bureaucratic friction, leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure, and fostering youth-led trade initiatives across the Palk Strait.
Key Discussion Themes
Throughout the summit, delegates will engage in focused dialogues covering crucial growth vectors:
The Energy Bridge: Harnessing Sri Lanka’s renewable energy potential to supply power-hungry industrial hubs across Southern India.
Digital Transformation: Adapting India’s stack-based Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to revolutionize digital payments and financial inclusion in Sri Lanka.
Logistics & Strategic Proximity: Positioning Colombo and regional Sri Lankan ports as immediate manufacturing and transshipment gateways for South Indian commercial centers like Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Hyderabad.
Event Details & Registration
Event: India Calling! Business Forum 2026
Date & Time: Thursday, August 6, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Venue: Taj Samudra, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Organized By: Lanka India Business Association (LIBA)
Ticketing & Registration: Seats are limited for corporate delegates. To register, visit https://indiacalling.rush.lk.
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