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Procurement Notice – Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. Procurement No. – LGLL/CYD/002/ICB/2025 – Supply of Empty LPG Cylinders without Valves for Litro Gas Lanka Ltd in 2025 & 2026

I wish to inform you that, the Chairman of the Standing High – Level Procurement Committee (SHLPC) on behalf of Litro Gas Lanka Limited has invited sealed bids from eligible and qualified bidders for the Supply of Empty LPG Cylinders without Valves for Litro Gas Lanka Ltd in 2025 & 2026.

Closing date for the above is on or before 26th March 2025 at 03.00 pm. (Sri Lanka local time GMT+5:30).

Please find attached herewith a copy of the notice of the above procurement.

It would be appreciated, if you could kindly make necessary arrangements to disseminate the same among your membership.

Thank you.

With warm regards,

Shirani Ariyarathne

Actg. Consul General

Minister (Commercial)

Consulate General of Sri Lanka

34, Homi Mody Street, Fort

Mumbai 400001

Tel: (+ 91 22 )22045861/22048303

Fax: (+ 91 22) 22876132

E -mail: slcg.mumbai@mfa.gov.lk

Dr. Jitendra Singh Highlights ₹20,000 Cr Boost for Research & Innovation, Says India Emerging as Global R&D Leader

India achieved Global Rank 3 in StartUps in last one decade

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that India achieved global Rank 3 in StartUps in last one decade and reaffirmed the Union Government’s commitment to making India a global innovation hub, highlighting the ₹20,000 crore allocation in Budget 2025-26 for the Research, Development, and Innovation initiative.

He explained that the initiative aims to boost research and innovation in the private sector, with a strong focus on expanding efforts in sunrise industries. Speaking at the concluding session of the Post Budget Webinar 2025 on “Investing in Innovation,” he emphasized that this funding would drive cutting-edge research and technological advancements, particularly in deep-tech sectors.

The announcement builds on the ₹1 lakh crore corpus introduced in Budget 2024-25 to accelerate research and development (R&D) in the private sector, with a strong focus on sunrise technologies. Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored that these initiatives would strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem and encourage private sector investments in critical domains like semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence, 5G, and quantum computing.

“India has made significant strides in innovation, with patent grants increasing 17 times since 2014 and our position in the Global Innovation Index rising from 81th to 39th among 133 economies. Today, we rank third globally as a leading contributor to scientific research,” Dr. Jitendra Singh stated.

Recognizing the need to nurture world-class research talent, the government has tripled the intake under the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) Scheme. Originally launched in 2018, the scheme has so far supported 3,688 scholars. The latest Budget expands its reach to 10,000 fellowships over the next five years, offering more opportunities for young scientists to pursue groundbreaking research at India’s premier institutions.

“The PMRF is not just about financial assistance; it is about fostering an ecosystem where academic excellence and intellectual curiosity thrive,” the Minister remarked.

Underscoring the significance of geospatial technology for economic growth and infrastructure planning, Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted the National Geospatial Mission, an initiative launched under the 2022 National Geospatial Policy. “This mission is critical for India’s transition to a developed nation by 2047,” he said, citing its applications in urban planning, disaster management, and precision agriculture.

India’s agricultural security is also receiving a boost with the establishment of a National Enlarged Gene bank Replica. “India’s National Gene bank is the second largest globally, preserving over 4.7 lakh accessions of 2,147 species, including traditional crops. The new initiative will further safeguard our crop diversity and ensure long-term food security,” Dr. Jitendra Singh explained.

In an ambitious effort to protect India’s vast manuscript heritage, the Gyan Bharatam Mission has been launched to digitize over one crore ancient manuscripts and create a National Digital Repository. “India has an unparalleled intellectual and cultural wealth, much of which is fragile and inaccessible. This initiative will ensure its preservation and accessibility for scholars and researchers worldwide,” the Minister emphasized.

Concluding the session, Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated that these initiatives align with the government’s broader vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, a roadmap for India’s transformation into a developed nation. “Investment in innovation is not just about economic growth—it is about empowering young minds, strengthening our technological sovereignty, and securing India’s future on the global stage,” he said.

With bold investments in research fellowships, deep-tech, and digital infrastructure, the government is making a decisive push to position India as a global leader in science and technology.

Request for Proposals (RFP) – Ministry of Urban Development, Construction and Housing

I wish to inform you that, the Chairman of the Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee (CANC) has invited eligible private sector parties, institutions/organizations to submit innovative concepts for Operations and Maintenance of the Facility with Maximum Resource Recovery.

Closing date for the above is on or before 17th March 2025 at 02.00 pm. (Sri Lanka local time GMT+5:30).

Please find attached herewith a copy of the notice of the above RFP.

It would be appreciated, if you could kindly make necessary arrangements to disseminate the same among your membership.

Thank you.

With warm regards,

Shirani Ariyarathne

Actg. Consul General

Minister (Commercial)

Consulate General of Sri Lanka

34, Homi Mody Street, Fort

Mumbai 400001

Tel: (+ 91 22 )22045861/22048303

Fax: (+ 91 22) 22876132

E -mail: slcg.mumbai@mfa.gov.lk

Registration of Suppliers for Aircraft maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and related support services – Sri Lanka Air Force

I wish to inform you that, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has invited qualified suppliers to register for Aircraft maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and related support services.

Closing date for the above is on or before 28th March 2025 at 1600 hrs. (Sri Lanka local time GMT+5:30).

Please find attached herewith a copy of the newspaper advertisement of the above.

It would be appreciated, if you could kindly make necessary arrangements to disseminate the same among your membership.

Thank you.

With warm regards,

Shirani Ariyarathne

Actg. Consul General, Minister (Commercial)

Consulate General of Sri Lanka, 34, Homi Mody Street, Fort

Mumbai 400001.

Tel: (+ 91 22 )22045861/22048303, Fax: (+ 91 22) 22876132

E -mail: slcg.mumbai@mfa.gov.lk

Invitation for Bids (IFB) – Ministry of Defence

I wish to inform you that, the Chairman, Standing High Level Procurement Committee (SHLPC), Ministry of has invited sealed bids from eligible and qualified bidders for the Capital Overhaul of MI-171E Helicopters and Purchase of Spares for the Recovery of Bell 212 Helicopter of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Please find attached herewith a copy of the procurement notice of the above.

It would be appreciated, if you could kindly make necessary arrangements to disseminate the same among your membership.

Thank you.

With warm regards,

Shirani Ariyarathne

Actg. Consul General, Minister (Commercial)

Consulate General of Sri Lanka

34, Homi Mody Street, Fort, Mumbai 400001

Tel: (+ 91 22 )22045861/22048303, Fax: (+ 91 22) 22876132

E -mail: slcg.mumbai@mfa.gov.lk

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal emphasises mutual funds industry’s role in India’s growth at AMFI Summit 2025

The mutual funds industry has played a pivotal role in India’s growth story by encouraging financial literacy and taking innovative financial ideas to the industry and the investors. This was stated by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal during his address as a Chief Guest at the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) Mutual Fund Summit 2025 today in Mumbai.

The Minister further complimented the domestic investors for filling the gap created by the foreign institutional investors (FIIs) post-Covid. “Collective investment methods like SIPs along with domestic investors supported the market. They helped in spreading financial awareness and financial products to every part of the country, he said.

Highlighting the importance of safeguarding the importance of small investors and other key stakeholders, Shri Goyal urged the industry leaders to reflect on ways to minimise volatility in the stock market. Large fund inflows, compulsions of the market to deploy capital, fear among investors on missing out on attractive stocks brought crises among investors during rightsizing. There has been a lot of misinformation flow about the unending ability of the market to go on a one-way street, he noted, and described the unpredictability of the stock market as a wakeup call for the industry and its small investors.

AMFI should also become conscious of its duties by isolating misguided investors from the rest. Companies with mettle have maintained reasonable prices at the stock market during recent turbulence, he noted. He said that duties and responsibilities of the industry towards the market are larger than the profitable returns investors enjoy in the short term. He also added that government spending and private capex are showing signs of comeback.

Elaborating on the responsibilities of the mutual funds industry towards its investors, the Minister urged the participants to be more diligent in cautioning investors from taking risks. He hoped that initiatives as such will spur India’s growth story for the next 22 years. Shri Goyal urged the industry to support and handhold investors, look at financial inclusion as a collective responsibility and take up financial education as its duty.

Shri Goyal asserted that assets under management (AUM) in the mutual funds industry at nearly Rs 70 lakh crore and soon to be Rs 100 lakh crore will dominate the market and domestic investors will determine India’s future not the foreign institutional investors. He also highlighted the need for the industry as wealth creators to have a fair and organised market.