- Sri Lankan engineering company enters India’s power plant EPC market with landmark project in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Sri Lankan power sector company Lakdhanavi Limited has secured a turnkey contract worth approximately Rs. 25 billion (USD 75 million) to construct a 57 MW natural gas-fired power plant in India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The contract marks Lakdhanavi’s entry into India’s power plant Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) market and represents a significant milestone for Sri Lankan engineering expertise in the regional power sector.
The project, to be located at Hope Town, Port Blair, on Andaman Island, is expected to strengthen the island’s electricity infrastructure, support long-term energy security through LNG infrastructure and facilitate future economic development.
A member of the LTL Group, Lakdhanavi secured the contract following an international competitive bidding process conducted by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN), a wholly owned subsidiary of India’s Government-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited. Lakdhanavi emerged as the lowest-priced bidder (L1).
The agreement was signed on 21 September 2026 at the NTPC Office Complex in Noida, New Delhi, in the presence of senior representatives of NVVN, Lakdhanavi and LTL Holdings. Discussions were also held on project implementation and future collaboration between NVVN and Lakdhanavi.
Lakdhanavi Limited’s engineering team will undertake the execution of the project, while Finland-based Wärtsilä Corporation will supply the power-generating equipment.
Established in Sri Lanka in the late 1990s as a subsidiary of LTL Holdings, Lakdhanavi has decades of experience in power generation as an Independent Power Producer (IPP) and in providing Operations and Maintenance (O&M) solutions for thermal and renewable energy projects.
Its overseas power project experience includes Bangladesh, Nepal and the Maldives. The latest contract further expands the company’s regional presence.
LTL Group, of which Lakdhanavi is a member, is Sri Lanka’s largest power sector company, with interests in power generation, transmission and distribution. Originally established as a joint venture between the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and a European company, LTL Holdings Ltd currently has a 35% stake held by NTNSP (National Transmission Network System Provider (Pvt) Ltd), a Government of Sri Lanka-owned entity under the Ministry of Energy.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Energy, Anura Karunathilake, has welcomed the achievement. During a meeting with LTL’s management, the Minister expressed the Government’s delight at a Sri Lankan company securing a major infrastructure contract in a large and competitive market such as India.
The achievement highlights the potential for Sri Lankan companies to take their technical expertise and capabilities into international markets.
Beyond its commercial significance, the project also represents a practical example of the longstanding economic relationship between Sri Lanka and India.
While bilateral economic engagement has often been viewed through the perspective of Indian investment, development assistance and infrastructure participation in Sri Lanka, Lakdhanavi’s success demonstrates that opportunities can emerge in both directions.
The contract illustrates how Sri Lankan businesses can contribute their technical skills and capabilities to the mutual development of both countries, complementing close Government-level cooperation through tangible private-sector partnerships.
Eng. Nuhuman Marikkar, Chief Executive Officer of Lakdhanavi Limited and LTL Holdings Limited, described the contract as a significant milestone for the company and a notable achievement for Sri Lankan engineering.
He said the award reflected the strength of the company’s technical capabilities, the dedication of its team and the confidence placed in its ability to deliver complex power infrastructure projects successfully, both in Sri Lanka and overseas.
He added that Lakdhanavi looked forward to working closely with NVVN to ensure the successful delivery of the project. (Newswire)
