Santosh Jha Calls for Startup Synergy Across South Asia

COLOMBO (News 1st); India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, has urged both nations to build a shared future of innovation, anchored in digital public infrastructure (DPI) and driven by the entrepreneurial spirit of youth.

Speaking at a high-profile event celebrating Sri Lankan startups, Jha emphasized that India’s startup revolution—spanning sectors from FinTech to AgriTech—is no longer confined to metropolitan hubs. “Young Indians are not waiting for the future. They are building it,” he said. “They are no longer job seekers. They have become job creators.”

Jha highlighted how tier 2 and tier 3 cities in India are now hotbeds of innovation, thanks to access to DPI tools like Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, and open data platforms. These technologies have lowered the cost of innovation, enabling thousands of startups to scale rapidly and solve real-world problems.

Crucially, he noted that Sri Lanka is on the cusp of a similar digital leap, with the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity Project marking the first major step. “We are proud to be embarking on this journey with Sri Lanka,” Jha said, announcing that the Request for Proposals (RFP) for selecting the master system integrator was issued in India on June 27, signaling the start of implementation.

“Startups are not competing. They are collaborating—with each other, with academia, and with the global community. That’s where I see powerful potential between India and Sri Lanka,” Jha added.

He proposed the creation of an innovation corridor connecting cities like Colombo and Delhi, Jaffna and Hyderabad, where startups can co-create solutions, exchange ideas, and grow together. This corridor, he said, would not only empower communities but also showcase the strength of regional cooperation in the digital age.