India, the UAE, and Sri Lanka have signed a trilateral agreement to develop Trincomalee as a vital energy hub. Representatives from all three states signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which is an important step towards boosting regional energy security. The UAE Ministry of Investment, the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the Sri Lankan Ministry of Energy will work together to improve Trincomalee’s energy infrastructure.
The signing event was attended by H.E. Khaled Nasser AlAmeri, UAE Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, and Prof. K.T.M. Udayanga Hemapala, Secretary of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Energy. The agreement covers several significant projects, including the rehabilitation of the Trincomalee Tank Farm, an increase in bunker fuel supplies, and the possibility of a new refinery.
To carry out the refinery project, selected agencies—Abu Dhabi Ports Group (AD Ports), Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC)—will form a joint venture company to manage operations. The MoU also includes a bidirectional petroleum pipeline between India and Sri Lanka to improve fuel logistics.
