India and Sri Lanka launch bilateral cyber security talks in Colombo

India and Sri Lanka have held their first formal cyber-security consultations in Colombo, establishing a new diplomatic channel as both nations face the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and sophisticated online threats.

The high-level talks, announced by the Indian High Commission in Colombo, signal an expansion of the technological partnership between the two neighbours. India sent a senior delegation led by Dr Sanjay Bahl, the director general of the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), alongside Amit Shukla, the joint secretary for cyber diplomacy at the Ministry of External Affairs.

During the visit, the Indian officials met Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eranga Weeraratne. Their discussions focused heavily on cyber-security governance frameworks and the specific challenges that artificial intelligence poses to national security. The talks addressed how both countries can build robust systems to handle the double-edged nature of AI, which is increasingly being used by both cyber defenders and malicious actors.

The security of online financial systems was another key focus of the trip. The Indian delegation met Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, to discuss safeguarding the infrastructure that underpins both countries' digital economies. With India and Sri Lanka increasingly integrating their digital payment systems and trade links, securing these networks is seen as vital to their economic stability.

On a technical level, the Indian team sat down with Sri Lanka CERT Chairman Thilak Pathirage and CEO Dr Kanishka Karunasena. As the primary emergency response teams for their respective countries, the two agencies discussed how to share real-time threat assessments and coordinate incident responses during a crisis.

According to the Indian High Commission, the detailed talks focused on several practical areas for future cooperation, including:

• Exchanging knowledge and best practices developed by CERT-In
• Managing cyber crises and building national capacity
• Formulating national strategies for next-generation technologies like quantum computing and AI

While India has previously supported Sri Lanka with digital identity projects and fintech infrastructure, this new dialogue marks a deliberate move to address the security risks that come with rapid digitisation. Neither government has set a date for the next round of talks, but both sides indicated that cyber-security consultations will become a regular feature of their bilateral relationship.