India's Envoy Proposes Direct Bridge and FTA Upgrade to Boost Sri Lanka Ties

Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, has emphasized the urgent need to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. He highlighted the timely requirement for a direct physical link, such as a bridge or ferry service, connecting Rameswaram in India to Talaimannar in Sri Lanka, a distance of 30 kilometers. Jha also stressed the importance of upgrading the existing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to unlock its full economic potential, noting that currently, over 65% of Sri Lankan exports utilize FTA benefits while only 5% of Indian exports do. He described India and Sri Lanka as "civilisational twins" and discussed broader bilateral cooperation, including with former Foreign Minister Ali Sabry.