Pakistan and Sri Lanka have discussed setting up a joint working group to deepen cooperation in information technology and telecommunications, including business-to-business exchanges, technology partnerships and startup linkages. The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan Rear Admiral Fred Seneviratne and Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja in Islamabad on Tuesday, with both sides reaffirming their longstanding bilateral ties and expressing a commitment to expanding cooperation between the technology sectors of the two countries.
The discussions focused on opportunities for Pakistani and Sri Lankan technology companies to establish joint ventures and partnerships, build scale and explore international markets. The proposed joint working group would provide an institutional framework for regular engagement between the two countries’ IT sectors, moving cooperation beyond individual, one-off meetings toward a more structured and sustained arrangement. Under the proposed mechanism, the two sides could facilitate business-to-business exchanges, technology roadshows, startup linkages, FinTech cooperation and partnerships between technology companies, giving both governments a range of concrete activities to build out once the working group is formally established.
The meeting also covered a broad range of emerging and technology driven sectors, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, IT and IT-enabled services, digital transformation, FinTech, startups and digital skills development. Both sides discussed greater collaboration in these areas as Pakistan and Sri Lanka seek to expand technology sector linkages and create opportunities for their companies to access international markets, reflecting a shared interest in using bilateral cooperation to help domestic technology firms in both countries reach beyond their home markets. The two countries also emphasized strengthening institutional connections between their respective IT sectors to support sustained cooperation beyond individual engagements, suggesting both sides view this meeting as a step toward a more durable framework rather than a standalone diplomatic exchange.
The proposed framework could provide technology companies and startups from both countries greater opportunities to identify partners, develop joint projects and explore new markets. Pakistan and Sri Lanka agreed to maintain close engagement to further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in the technology sector, with the meeting coming as Pakistan continues to pursue greater international cooperation in IT, digital services, technology exports, startups and emerging technologies. The proposed joint working group adds to a series of similar cooperation efforts Pakistan has pursued with other countries in recent months, reflecting a broader pattern of using bilateral technology partnerships to expand market access for the country’s IT sector.
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