Tilvin Silva, General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), visited India from 5–12 February 2026 under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations’ (ICCR) Distinguished Visitors Programme.
He was accompanied by Members of Parliament. Kitnan Selvaraj and Ilankumaran Karunanathan, JVP Central Committee Member Janaka Adhikari, JVP Media Unit Head Hemathilaka Gamage, and Member of the JVP International Relations Department Kalpana Madhubhashini. The delegation visited New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram. This marked Mr. Silva’s first official visit to India.
During the New Delhi leg of the visit, the JVP delegation met India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Deputy National Security Advisor Mr. Pavan Kapoor. The Indian side reaffirmed that India will remain a true and trusted partner of Sri Lanka in line with its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and Vision ‘MAHASAGAR’. Discussions focused on growth opportunities for the mutual benefit of both countries and social welfare initiatives. The delegation was also briefed on ICCR’s wide-ranging cultural programmes and scholarship opportunities available to Sri Lankan students.
The delegation visited the Unique Digital Identity Authority of India, the National Disaster Management Authority, Gati Shakti, and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. These visits provided exposure to India’s advancements in digital and physical infrastructure, disaster preparedness and response, infrastructure development and sustainable agricultural practices. The delegation also attended the Grand International Exposition of the Sacred Piprahwa Relics of Lord Buddha, reaffirming the centuries-old civilizational ties between the two countries.
In Ahmedabad, the delegation met Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Harsh Sanghavi. Discussions centred on Gujarat’s inclusive development model, including progress in dairy, infrastructure, the cooperative sector, FinTech, tourism, innovation and entrepreneurship. The delegation visited AMUL, Tribhuvan Sahkari University, Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), and the International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology (i-Create). They also paid homage at Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram.
During their visit to Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Silva and the delegation met Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan. They visited the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre to gain insight into India’s advancements in space science and technology. The delegation also toured the Vizhinjam deep-water container transshipment port, India’s first such facility developed under a Public-Private Partnership model.
The visit of the JVP delegation, led by its General Secretary Tilvin Silva, is part of India’s continued engagement with political leaders across party lines in Sri Lanka.
