NEW DELHI, India — The India-Sri Lanka Foundation has approved 13 new projects worth approximately LKR 21 million, with education, culture, agriculture, and science and technology among the key areas supported under the latest funding round.

The decisions were taken at the 41st meeting of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, held in New Delhi on August 28, 2026. The meeting was co-chaired by Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Mahishini Colonne and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha.

The Board reviewed more than 500 proposals received by the Colombo Secretariat. Following the evaluation process, 137 proposals were shortlisted, with 20 presented to the Board for consideration. Thirteen projects were ultimately approved.

Education and cultural exchange remain key priorities

The India-Sri Lanka Foundation supports initiatives designed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, with education and cultural exchange playing a central role in its people-to-people engagement.

Over the past 28 years, the Foundation has supported programmes involving students, academics, researchers, professionals, artists and cultural practitioners from India and Sri Lanka.

Its activities have helped create opportunities for academic collaboration, knowledge sharing, cultural exchanges and institutional partnerships between the two neighbouring countries.

The Foundation was established in 1998 through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of India and Sri Lanka. Its mandate includes promoting economic, scientific, educational, technical and cultural cooperation and strengthening mutual understanding between the people of both countries.

Growing demand for cross-border opportunities

The Board noted a significant increase in public interest in the Foundation’s programmes.

The New Delhi Secretariat received 149 proposals from Indian nationals, despite no formal call for proposals being issued ahead of the meeting because of financial constraints.

The growing number of applications from individuals and institutions in both countries highlights continued demand for opportunities involving education, research, culture, professional exchanges and other forms of people-to-people cooperation.

The Board said the strong response also reflected the importance of strengthening the long-standing relationship between India and Sri Lanka.

Foundation seeks stronger financial support

With India-Sri Lanka relations expanding across multiple sectors, the Board said the Foundation has an increasingly important role to play in strengthening people-to-people connections.

It also highlighted the need to strengthen the Foundation’s financial capacity.

An expanded Corpus Fund would allow the Foundation to support more projects and provide additional opportunities for Sri Lankan and Indian students, academics, researchers, artists and institutions to collaborate through exchanges and joint initiatives.

The Foundation is jointly administered through Secretariats in New Delhi and Colombo and is governed by a six-member Board of Directors.

The 41st Board meeting was held at Zetu, a Sri Lankan food-inspired restaurant in New Delhi.

A platform for India-Sri Lanka educational and cultural ties

Since its establishment, the India-Sri Lanka Foundation has provided a platform for strengthening connections between people and institutions in both countries.

Its support for educational, cultural, scientific and professional initiatives has contributed to greater academic exchange, cultural understanding and collaboration between India and Sri Lanka.

As interest in cross-border educational and cultural opportunities continues to grow, the Foundation is expected to remain an important mechanism for expanding people-to-people ties between the two South Asian neighbours.