A Sri Lankan Ministry of Health delegation completed a study visit to India from 27 to 31 July, aimed at strengthening the island nation's food safety governance, modernising regulatory frameworks, and improving consumer protection. The findings from the visit, highlighted in a report on Wednesday, 26 August, are expected to directly inform Sri Lanka's efforts to establish a dedicated food safety bureau and advance its commitments under key international health frameworks.

Purpose and Scope of the Visit

The delegation, comprising officials from Sri Lanka's Directorate of Environment, Occupational Health and Food Safety, the Food Control Administration Unit (FCAU), and the Medical Research Institute (MRI), travelled to New Delhi for a structured technical exchange. The visit was jointly supported by Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and India's Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The delegation held meetings with Indian counterparts at the FSSAI to understand how food safety systems are governed, regulated, and monitored at scale across a large and diverse country like India.

Key Areas of Learning

Officials were briefed on India's adoption of digital technologies to drive efficiency, transparency, and evidence-based decision-making within its food regulatory ecosystem. Discussions also covered mechanisms to monitor food advertising and labelling requirements, including emerging challenges posed by online food marketing — a rapidly growing regulatory frontier for both nations.

The insights are expected to help Sri Lanka strengthen food labelling oversight and advance its priorities under the International Health Regulations (2005), the Joint External Evaluation (JEE), and the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS).

What the WHO Said

Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, WHO Representative to Sri Lanka, underscored the value of such cross-border knowledge exchange. 'Strengthening food safety requires strong systems, effective regulation and continuous learning. Opportunities for technical exchange such as this allow countries to learn from one another's experiences and identify practical approaches that can be adapted to national contexts,' he said.

Pandav further noted, 'As food systems continue to evolve, partnerships and knowledge exchange remain important tools for building stronger, more resilient food safety systems that protect health and support consumer confidence.'

Broader Context and What Comes Next

The visit comes as Sri Lanka has been actively working to modernise its food safety architecture amid growing concerns over food quality, labelling gaps, and the rapid expansion of digital food commerce. This is not an isolated initiative — it is part of a broader push by Colombo to align its regulatory standards with international benchmarks. India's FSSAI, one of Asia's more mature food regulatory bodies, offers a practical reference model for countries at an earlier stage of regulatory development. How Sri Lanka translates these learnings into legislative and institutional action will determine the long-term impact of the exchange.