Sri Lanka and Russia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in transport sector training and human resource development, during the International Transport and Logistics Forum held in St. Petersburg.
The agreement was signed between the Russian Ministry of Transport and Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral cooperation in the transport sector.
According to the Ministry, the MoU aims to expand collaboration in human resource development, professional training, knowledge exchange and institutional capacity building.
Under the agreement, both sides will support the organisation of educational conferences, workshops and training programmes in key areas including multimodal transport hubs, urban and regional transport systems, infrastructure development and management, road safety, transport law and economics, environmental sustainability, digitalisation and global transport competitiveness.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake held bilateral discussions with Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin.
During the meeting, discussions focused on railway sector cooperation, including the proposed rehabilitation of the 60-kilometre Kelani Valley railway line from Colombo to Avissawella. The possibility of Russian company involvement in railway modernisation, rolling stock supply and infrastructure development was also discussed.
The Russian side also proposed establishing a branch of the Russian University of Transport (MIIT) in Colombo to support transport education and workforce training.
Both sides further highlighted the potential to expand air passenger transport between the two countries. More than 219,000 passengers travelled between Sri Lanka and Russia in 2025, while nearly 31,000 passengers were recorded in January 2026 alone. (Newswire)