Image Source: In a significant step toward regional collaboration in South Asia’s livestock and poultry sectors, India and Sri Lanka have formally initiated an institutional dialogue focused on joint research, trade cooperation, and knowledge exchange. The India–Sri Lanka Livestock Meet, hosted in Colombo marks a new chapter in bilateral agri-partnerships with an emphasis on long-term value creation across both countries’ animal health and nutrition ecosystems.

The two-day event was spearheaded by the Compound Livestock Feed Manufacturers Association (CLFMA) of India, in association with the Sri Lanka Veterinary Association (SLVA) and the World Poultry Science Association – Sri Lanka Branch. This high-level gathering brought together key policymakers, industry leaders, and scientific experts to align agendas in animal breeding, veterinary research, feed innovation, and capacity-building.

Representatives from Sri Lanka’s Ministries of Agriculture and Financial Planning, including Palika Fernando, Additional Secretary (Livestock Development), and Sulakshana Jayawardana, Director General – Treasury, voiced strong support for institutional cooperation with India. In parallel, CLFMA leadership outlined its pan-India initiatives and detailed its readiness to support regional partnerships that bridge scientific, policy, and trade gaps.

Divya Kumar Gulati, Chairman of CLFMA, highlighted the association’s vision to catalyze sustainable livestock growth through joint R&D and harmonized trade practices. “This meet is not just a bilateral engagement—it’s a platform for creating long-term value for the livestock and poultry sectors of both countries,” he said. “We see immense potential for policy alignment, research collaboration, and shared innovation that can redefine productivity and resilience across the region.”

Palika Fernando echoed this sentiment, emphasizing Sri Lanka’s openness to leveraging India’s deep technical and infrastructural strengths. She noted that coordinated efforts in feed innovation, breeding programs, and veterinary science could greatly accelerate outcomes for both economies, particularly in a climate-vulnerable region where food and animal health systems must become more robust and adaptive.

CLFMA delegates including Deputy Chairman Naveen Pasuparthy, Honorary Secretary Nissar F. Mohammed, Treasurer R. Ramkutty, and others engaged in working-level discussions aimed at operationalizing this vision. From India’s side, the conversation also focused on how CLFMA’s experience across India’s livestock value chain could offer frameworks adaptable to Sri Lanka’s needs—particularly in building nutritional efficiency, improving disease surveillance, and advancing regional trade logistics.

As regional dynamics shift toward more integrated food systems, the India–Sri Lanka Livestock Meet reaffirms the value of cross-border alliances in agribusiness. With both countries now exploring structured collaboration across public and private sectors, this engagement could evolve into a model for South-South cooperation in livestock development—grounded in science, trade synergies, and shared goals for sustainability.