The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SGCCI), Surat, India, renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reaffirming a commitment to strengthening business engagement between Sri Lanka and Gujarat.

The renewed MoU was signed by Krishan Balendra, Chairperson of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. Ashok Jirawala, President of SGCCI, during the visit of an SGCCI business delegation to Colombo. The renewal comes as businesses from both markets look at more specific opportunities for trade, investment and commercial partnerships. Following the signing, the visiting delegation engaged with Sri Lankan companies through an interactive business networking session.

The delegation represented a broad range of industries, including textiles and apparel, textile materials, garment accessories, manufacturing and industrial products, gems and jewellery, waste management and waste-to-energy, information technology, spices and processed food.

Textile and apparel discussions examined opportunities for Gujarat-based suppliers to connect with Sri Lanka's apparel manufacturing base, while manufacturers of garment accessories and industrial products explored potential supply and distribution partnerships.

The gems and jewellery sector also featured strongly, with the delegation expressing interest in sourcing Sri Lankan sapphires and other gemstones and exploring connections with local jewellery manufacturers, industry associations and women entrepreneurs.

Beyond trade, discussions covered investment and technology opportunities, including waste-to-energy solutions and digital technologies. Participants also explored two-way trade opportunities in spices and processed food products.

The engagement reflects the scale and diversity of Gujarat's manufacturing and trading base and the scope for Sri Lankan businesses to access new suppliers, markets, technologies and investment partners.

With the MoU renewed, both chambers will continue to facilitate business-to-business connections, share market and industry information, and support companies from Sri Lanka and Gujarat seeking opportunities in each other's markets.