This article covers cultural, educational and community links between India and Sri Lanka: Buddhist and other heritage cooperation, grant projects for temples and cultural centres, scholarships and academic chairs, capacity-building programmes in India, and the Indian-origin and Indian communities in Sri Lanka. Its source is the MEA bilateral brief of June 2026.

Buddhist heritage and relic expositions

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, cultural cooperation between the two countries includes the establishment of an Indian Gallery at the International Buddhist Museum in Kandy. In 2012, an exposition of the sacred Kapilavastu Relics was organised in Sri Lanka to commemorate the 2600th year of the attainment of enlightenment by Lord Buddha (Sambuddhatva Jayanthi).

In October 2021, the inaugural Colombo-Kushinagar flight was undertaken on the auspicious Vap Poya Day. On that occasion the sacred Kapilavastu Buddha relics from the Rajaguru Sri Subhuthi Maha Vihara of Waskaduwa were brought to India and displayed in several Indian cities, including Kushinagar and Sarnath.

During his State visit in April 2025, PM Modi announced an exposition in Sri Lanka of Lord Buddha's relics found in Devnimori, Gujarat. It took place from 4-11 February 2026 at the Gangaramayya Temple in Colombo. More recently, India presented a statue of Lord Buddha to the Dharmayathanaya Temple.

Temples and cultural centres

The brief records the following heritage and cultural projects supported by India:

  • restoration of the Thiruketheeswaram Temple at Mannar
  • a project for the solar electrification of Buddhist places of worship
  • grant assistance, announced by PM Modi in April 2025, for the development of the Thirukoneswaram temple in Trincomalee, the Sita Eliya temple in Nuwara Eliya and the Sacred City Complex Project in Anuradhapura
  • the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Center, which the then Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan dedicated during a visit in February 2023

India also published the Pali Grammar book 'Namamala' and the Sinhala translation of the Jataka Tales in early 2025.

Education and scholarships

India offers nearly 1000 scholarship slots annually to Sri Lankan students. Indian institutes under the 'Study in India' Program provide technical expertise across a range of courses. During President Anura Kumara Disanayaka's visit in December 2024, India announced financial assistance to 100 new students each year from each of the University of Jaffna and Eastern University.

Academic links include the Centre for Contemporary Indian studies (CCIS) set up at Colombo University and a long-term ICCR chair for Hindi set up at Kelaniya and Sabaragamuwa University. Under multi-sectoral grant assistance, over 2000 teachers in plantation schools were trained in STEM subjects from August-October 2024.

Capacity-building programmes in India

During his State visit in April 2025, PM Modi announced a comprehensive capacity-building programme in India covering 700 Sri Lankans annually. In FY 2025-26, a total of 700 Sri Lankan nationals, including Members of Parliament, Supreme Court Judges, Election Commissioners, Auditors, media personnel, dairy farmers, craftsmen and local government representatives, underwent training at institutions in India.

An MoU between the National Centre for Good Governance of India (NCGG) and the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA), signed during President Anura Kumara Disanayaka's visit in December 2024, provides for training 1500 Sri Lankan civil servants over the next 5 years. Another 400 Sri Lankan civil servants have already undergone capacity building conducted by NCGG.

Indian community in Sri Lanka

The brief describes three groups. People of Indian Origin (PIOs), comprising Sindhis, Borahs, Gujaratis, Memons, Parsis, Malayalis and Telugu-speaking persons, have settled in Sri Lanka and are engaged in various business ventures.

The Indian Origin Tamils (IOTs), numbering about 1.5 million, are mostly employed in tea or rubber plantations, while some IOTs living in Colombo are engaged in business. In November 2023, the Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, was Guest of Honour at the 'Naam 200' event held to mark 200 years of the arrival of IOTs. India's grant projects also include a developmental project package focusing on Indian Origin Tamils, announced by PM Modi during the visit of then President Ranil Wickremesinghe in July 2023.

In addition, about 7500 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) work in various professional fields in Sri Lanka.