Sri Lanka Appoints Rakesh Shah as Honorary Consul to Strengthen Ties with Gujarat

Rakesh Ramanlal Shah, Chairman & Managing Director of GSEC Limited, has been appointed as the Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad. His consular jurisdiction will cover Gujarat. Shah received his Commission of Appointment on Monday from High Commissioner Kshenuka Senewiratne, according to a statement by the High Commission.

Representative image

The creation of this post aims to strengthen Sri Lanka’s relations with Gujarat, considering the trade, investment, and tourism potential. Gujarat is known for its leading industries in India, particularly in port development & infrastructure, renewable energy, ICT, chemical & petrochemical, agro & food, start-ups, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.

Strengthening Bilateral Relations

High Commissioner Senewiratne congratulated Shah on his appointment and emphasised the importance of enhancing Sri Lanka’s engagements with Gujarat across various sectors. She noted that Shah’s business credentials make him well-suited to assist the High Commission in achieving this goal.

Shah committed to supporting this initiative by developing an action-oriented roadmap to outline the trajectory for this purpose. They discussed potential immediate areas of cooperation, particularly those focused on connectivity to boost tourism.

Economic Linkages and Cooperation

The Indo-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce and Industry was identified as a framework to facilitate economic linkages with Gujarat. This chamber will play a crucial role in fostering economic ties between Sri Lanka and Gujarat.

Gujarat has earned its reputation as a key state for leading industries in India. The state is especially known for its advancements in port development & infrastructure, renewable energy, ICT, chemical & petrochemical sectors, agro & food industries, start-ups, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.

High Commissioner Senewiratne highlighted that Shah is ideally positioned to assist the High Commission due to his extensive business experience. She stated that he could effectively help elevate Sri Lanka’s engagements with Gujarat in all related sectors.

Shah pledged his support by formulating an action-oriented roadmap aimed at strengthening bilateral relations. They discussed possible immediate areas of cooperation to enhance tourism through improved connectivity.

The appointment of Rakesh Ramanlal Shah as Honorary Consul is expected to significantly boost trade and investment between Sri Lanka and Gujarat. This move is seen as a strategic step towards deepening economic ties and exploring new avenues for collaboration.