By Ceylon Signal 
A high‑level delegation from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is currently in Bhutan on the invitation of the Bhutan Bar Council, marking a significant moment of professional cooperation between the two countries’ legal communities.
Royal Reception in Thimphu
The Bhutan Bar Council hosted an official welcome ceremony for the Sri Lankan delegation at the Cottage of its Chairperson, Her Royal Highness Princess Ashi Sonam Dechen Wangchuck. The event underscored Bhutan’s commitment to strengthening ties with Sri Lanka’s legal fraternity.
Several senior Bhutanese judicial figures attended the reception, including:
- Dasho Rinzin Penjor, Vice Chairperson of the Bhutan Bar Council, former Supreme Court Judge and former Attorney General
- The Chief Justice of Bhutan
- The Registrar General
- A number of judges from the Bhutanese judiciary
The gathering highlighted the growing collaboration between the two nations on legal education, judicial reform, and professional development.
Wickremesinghe’s Bhutan Visit and Secret Delhi Meeting
In a separate development, former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe also visited Bhutan recently. During the same trip, he travelled to New Delhi, where a confidential meeting reportedly took place on July 1 between Wickremesinghe and India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
According to reports, Wickremesinghe first met Vinay Kumar Saxena, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, at “Lok Niwas” around midday. He later proceeded—without the knowledge of the Sri Lankan High Commission—to another location for discussions with Doval, India’s top national security strategist.
The Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi is said to have been unaware of the meeting and subsequently alerted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, prompting concern within President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration.
Security sources indicate that the conversation focused on Sri Lanka’s ongoing political instability, economic reform trajectory, and regional security matters of interest to India. Analysts suggest the meeting signals India’s close monitoring of emerging political developments in Sri Lanka.
Growing Regional Engagement
The BASL delegation’s visit to Bhutan and Wickremesinghe’s separate engagements in India reflect a period of heightened diplomatic and professional activity involving Sri Lankan institutions and political figures. Both developments point to increasing regional attention on Sri Lanka’s legal, political, and security landscape.
Secret Ranil–Doval Meeting Sparks Alarm in Colombo – Ceylon Signal