Colombo, 06 September 2026 – During her recent visit to Bhutan, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, engaged with representatives of the Bhutan Innovation Lab (BIL), Bhutan’s esteemed National Innovation Platform. The pivotal meeting, held on September 4, 2026, offered crucial insights into leveraging innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology for national development, a critical focus for Sri Lanka’s own economic trajectory.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya, who was in Bhutan to deliver the keynote address at the inaugural Global Conscious Food Systems Summit, attended a comprehensive presentation on the BIL, conducted jointly by the Office of the Prime Minister of Bhutan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Understanding Bhutan’s National Innovation Platform
The Bhutan Innovation Lab (BIL) stands as a flagship initiative, established under the Office of the Prime Minister of Bhutan in partnership with the UNDP. As a Prime Minister-led endeavour, BIL is dedicated to harnessing the power of innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology to revolutionize governance and accelerate economic development across the Himalayan nation. It acts as a vital conduit, bridging government policy with the ingenuity of entrepreneurs, innovators, and various stakeholders, thereby nurturing promising ideas from conceptualisation to practical, impactful implementation.
The presentation underscored how BIL effectively translates the priority areas of the Prime Minister of Bhutan into tangible, innovative solutions. Its work significantly contributes to the implementation of Bhutan’s Economic Roadmap, fostering a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and generating new economic opportunities. Furthermore, the Lab is committed to enhancing public service delivery through cutting-edge innovation and digital solutions, promoting robust collaboration among government agencies, entrepreneurs, innovators, businesses, and development partners.
Insights for Sri Lanka’s Innovation Journey
The Sri Lankan delegation, led by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, gained invaluable insights into the practical challenges and opportunities encountered by Bhutan in executing the initiatives of the Bhutan Innovation Lab. This exchange proved to be a fertile ground for both nations to discuss how similar innovative mechanisms can drive economic transformation, foster public-sector innovation, and create a wealth of new opportunities for young entrepreneurs and innovators.
Significantly, the Sri Lankan delegation also contributed to the dialogue by sharing Sri Lanka’s own experiences, perspectives, and lessons learned through the Citra Social Innovation Lab. Established in 2019, Citra is a pioneering joint initiative of the Office of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), mirroring the collaborative spirit seen in Bhutan.
Key Attendees and Future Collaboration
The high-level discussion saw the participation of prominent officials including the Cabinet Secretary of Bhutan, Director Generals of the Prime Minister’s Office of Bhutan, representatives from UNDP-Bhutan, and the dedicated team of the Bhutan Innovation Lab. This convergence of leadership and expertise highlights the mutual commitment to fostering innovation for national progress.
The engagement underscores Sri Lanka’s proactive approach under Prime Minister Amarasuriya’s leadership to learn from international best practices and strengthen its own innovation ecosystem, drawing parallels and identifying synergistic pathways with nations like Bhutan that are successfully harnessing innovation for sustainable development.
Source: Prime Minister’s Media Division