High Commission of India
Colombo

PRESS RELEASE

Ninth Capacity-building Programme for Sri Lankan Civil Service Officers concludes successfully in India

The ninth capacity-building programme for 40 Sri Lankan Civil Service Officers successfully concluded at the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) in India on 08 May 2026. Centered on the theme of ‘Disaster Management’, the two-week programme was organized following the positive response from previous cohorts and based on a specific request from Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA). 

2. This programme marks the commencement of the second year of implementation of the NCGG-SLIDA Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed during the 2024 state visit of President of Sri Lanka, H.E. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, to India. The partnership aims to train 1500 Sri Lankan civil service officers over five years, with 321 officers completing their training during the first year of implementation (2025-26). 

3. The programme featured a series of sessions on key areas of disaster management, disaster preparedness, mitigation strategies, national security, and governance reforms. Officers gained insights into India’s flagship initiatives such as PM Gati Shakti, GeM, Swamitva Scheme, Aadhaar, Digital Public Infrastructure, and disaster management case studies from Indian states. 

4. The programme also included visits to premier institutions, including National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, providing participants with a practical exposure into India’s disaster management architecture and governance frameworks.

5. Capacity-building remains an important pillar of India’s development cooperation with Sri Lanka. Following the announcement of 700 additional annual training slots during the April 2025 State Visit by Prime Minister of India to Sri Lanka, India now supports the capacity building of 1000 Sri Lankans annually. This enhanced cooperation reflects the deepening bilateral partnership between the two nations. 

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Colombo
08 May 2026