Sri Lanka’s Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has stated that his country will be backing India’s bid for a permanent seat at the UNSC, while speaking at the WION’s Global Innovation and Leadership Summit in Colombo.
Published: May 2, 2026 5:07 PM IST
Sri Lanka’s Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, who heads the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, supported New Delhi’s push for a permanent UNSC seat during his address at WION’s Global Innovation and Leadership Summit in Colombo on Saturday. He further stated that his country believes in nurturing its relations with India.
Speaking at the event, Premadasa said, “We believe in nurturing strategic ties with India.” He then said, “Sri Lanka strongly backs India’s bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.”
Pathway to mutual growth
Premadasa emphasised that the relationship between the two countries should be viewed as a route to mutual growth, built on strong historical and cultural bonds. “The relationship between Sri Lanka and India must never be viewed through the prism of competition, but rather embraced as a tremendous opportunity for mutual prosperity,” Sri Lanka’s LoP said during the event.
“India’s historic rise in manufacturing, its leaps in digital technology, and its expanding global economic influence are not a challenge to Sri Lanka. But rather, we consider it as a gateway for our own future collaboration and progress. We believe in nurturing a special strategic relationship with India, one that is built on deep-rooted historical and cultural connections, and one that forms the fundamental bedrock of our foreign policy,” he added.
“It is precisely because of this unshakeable bond that I have consistently and vocally supported India’s long-pending bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC),” the leader said.
Ongoing conflict in West Asia
Premadasa has urged India to play a larger role. In the face of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East he said, “The ongoing conflicts in West Asia and the Middle East, along with the deeply concerning spillover of military hostilities into the Indian Ocean region, serve as a stark reminder of our shared vulnerabilities.”
Citing the prevailing security concerns, Premadasa called on India to play a greater role in ensuring lasting peace in the South Asian region.
“In this volatile climate, India’s role is absolutely indispensable for ensuring security, enforcing stability, and maintaining long-term peace across the South Asian region. The Global South must work together to democratise access to artificial intelligence infrastructure,” said Premadas at WION’s Leadership Summit.
He also said that the economic crisis faced by Sri Lanka in recent years is a thing of the past and his country has entered an “era of near recovery”.
