‘India is a natural collaborator in building inclusive & trusted AI’ | India News
In an exclusive interview with TOI’s Sachin Parashar, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake spoke about the significance of the AI summit, supported India’s legitimate security interests in the Indian Ocean and said that Lanka wants to resume ETCA talks in a progressive and transparent manner. Excerpt: You are visiting India at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi for the summit. You’ve talked in the past about the gap between states in AI and how some countries are unable to use AI for development due to inadequate infrastructure. In that context, what are your expectations from this summit and the outcome document?We congratulate India for bringing this important AI Impact Summit to the Global South. This summit is significant not only for technology but also for partnership. For Lanka, this summit must be about democratizing access to AI infrastructure and turning global policies into tangible partnerships for the Global South. Sri Lanka sees this as an opportunity for India and Lanka and the wider Global South to jointly build AI governance in partnership. For developing countries like mine, access to infrastructure, research networks and human capital development is crucial. Sri Lanka is already laying the foundations for AI-driven development – including a national digital public infrastructure framework, an AI governance architecture, sectoral AI committees and an AI Champions program to build institutional capacity. But for countries like ours, access to the global compute ecosystem, research networks and advanced talent development are critical. Initiatives like the Global AI Impact Commons and the Trusted AI Commons are important because they can help democratize AI resources and ensure that innovation is not limited to a few advanced economies. The real impact of the summit will lie in turning principles into practical partnerships and Sri Lanka is ready to work with India to do so. What do you think about India’s focus on inclusive and human-centered AI and the summit being held for the first time in the Global South? What is your position on AI regulation?India’s human-centric approach to AI is closely aligned with Sri Lanka’s own reform and development priorities. Sri Lanka supports a balanced and risk-based regulatory framework that protects citizens while encouraging innovation. Sri Lanka has already enacted strong data protection legislation, strengthened its cyber security framework and is establishing a structured AI governance architecture to guide responsible adoption. Instead of fragmented standards, regional cooperation between Sri Lanka and India can promote interoperability, moral protection and shared learning. AI governance should foster growth, strengthen institutions and expand opportunities. This is best achieved through partnerships. We see India as a natural partner in building a trusted and inclusive AI ecosystem. Looking back, given your party’s historical skepticism about India and the Indian government’s recent support for economic recovery in Lanka and post-Cyclone Ditwah, how has your vision for India-Lanka relations evolved over the past 18 months?The first country I visited after being elected President was India; And the first foreign leader I had as president in Lanka was Prime Minister Modi. In recognition of India’s support to Sri Lanka under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, including during the economic crisis, we conferred on him Sri Lanka’s highest honor for foreign leaders – the Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushan. The relationship between our country and people is deep, historical and civilized. When I visited India as President in December 2024, we adopted the India-Sri Lanka Joint Statement titled ‘Building Partnership for a Shared Future’. The relationship between our two countries covers every area of contemporary relevance to our people. India’s support was significant during the economic stabilization of Lanka. So was India’s support during Cyclone Ditwah. Our relationship today is about structural integration and long-term growth. India is Sri Lanka’s largest trading partner. India is a significant investor and largest source of tourism. Just a few days ago, we welcomed a large number of Indians to Lanka to watch the T20 WC match between India and Pakistan. We are exploring energy connectivity and expanding cooperation in renewables; Digital Systems and Public Infra; Maritime security and stability and security of the Indian Ocean; ports, logistics and supply chains; skills and human capital development and a range of other areas. We are open to consider all possible collaborations. A strong Lankan economy complements India’s growth trajectory. When Sri Lanka and India work together, it will strengthen regional stability and economic resilience across the IOR. Your government seems to be doing a difficult balancing act, as it wants to secure Chinese investment without jeopardizing India’s security. As Sri Lanka looks to finalize SOPs for foreign research vessels this year, will it consider India’s concerns that vessels with dual-use military capabilities will not be allowed to dock in Sri Lanka?Sri Lanka maintains an independent foreign policy. At the same time, geography dictates responsibility. We recognize India’s legitimate security interests in the Indian Ocean region. Our safety is involved. We have signed an agreement on defense cooperation between the two countries. Sri Lanka will not allow its territory to be used in a way that undermines the security of other countries. Stability in the Indian Ocean region is a shared responsibility, and Sri Lanka will always work closely with India to maintain it. Negotiations for an economic and technical cooperation agreement have stalled. You have emphasized economic freedom but given the growing economic ties, do you think now may be the time to end the deal?Sri Lanka believes that the time is right to re-establish economic engagement with India. Global trade dynamics are changing. India is expanding its trade architecture. Sri Lanka will explore ways to integrate into this growth environment in a mutually beneficial manner. We want to resume discussions on ETCA in a transparent manner. We are expanding the capacity of free trade zones and welcoming Indian investment. Beyond trade agreements, Sri Lanka and India’s port partnership offers enormous opportunities. Sri Lankan ports already serve as major transshipment hubs for Indian cargo By deepening cooperation, we can position Sri Lanka as a logistics and value-adding partner in Indian manufacturing, develop JVs in maritime services, strengthen industrial linkages and integrate more closely into regional supply chains. Economic integration will create jobs in Sri Lanka and build resilience for both economies. The direction we want to move is clear: deeper cooperation with India, structural integration and shared growth for mutual benefit.
