.Addressing the media in Colombo on Sunday (19), Misri said the planned oil hub in the northeastern port city of Trincomalee was taken up during talks with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
He noted that the project, which also involves the United Arab Emirates, has been under discussion since 2023. While no timeline has been set, Misri described it as a strategic initiative with a significant overall investment.
“There is no further time to lose in making progress on strategic projects such as these,” Misri said, adding that both sides agreed on the urgency of moving forward.
He further observed that if the energy hub had already been completed, it could have proved especially valuable amid the ongoing Middle East tensions, highlighting its potential role in strengthening regional energy security.
India, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates signed an agreement last year—following two years of negotiations—to establish a multi-product oil pipeline linking the two South Asian nations and to develop the Trincomalee oil storage complex.
