Lead Story
30% US tariff on Sri Lankan rubber products effective 1 August threatens $1B export industry Tyre and glove exports at risk as competitors enjoy lower tariffs Over 150,000 livelihoods in rural Sri Lanka could be impacted without urgent intervention The Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP) has called on the…
Featured
The Department of Export Agriculture (DEA), in collaboration with Australia’s Market Development Facility (MDF) and the Lanka Coffee Association (LCA), successfully hosted the fourth-annual Sri Lanka Coffee Festival on 8 and 9 July 2025 in Kandy. The event celebrated 200 years of coffee in Sri Lanka, with the DEA launching an official commemorative stamp. The…
If people were asked to name 10 innovative companies in Sri Lanka, it is highly likely that a Regional Plantation Company (RPC) would not be on that list. Yet, it could be argued that Agarapatana Plantations PLC, a RPC belongs on that list. The company has created a transformative leap in productivity by undertaking a…
Alumex PLC, the country’s leading aluminium extrusion manufacturer, was bestowed with the prestigious Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Standard Certification, becoming the first in Sri Lanka and second in South Asia to earn this globally recognised benchmark for sustainable aluminium production. This significant milestone positions Alumex among an exclusive group of manufacturers worldwide that champion…
Sets new benchmarks in SUV and MPV design, technology and hybrid performance Kia has marked another milestone in Sri Lanka’s automotive landscape with the unveiling of two all-new models – the 2026 Kia Sportage and the 2026 Kia Carnival Hybrid – at an exclusive media preview at Cinnamon Life, Colombo. The simultaneous launch of these…
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has reaffirmed its leadership in Sri Lanka’s banking sector with a stellar performance at the Asian Banking & Finance (ABF) Awards 2025, winning six prestigious accolades across the Retail, Wholesale, and Corporate & Investment Banking categories. Recognising excellence, innovation, and leadership in financial services, the ABF Awards spotlight outstanding performances…
The Three-day festival in London showcases Sri Lanka’s extraordinary biodiversity while reinforcing Sri Lanka’s position as a world-class wildlife destination Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Sri Lanka’s pioneering hospitality leader, in partnership with Cinnamon Nature Trails, the Wilderness and Wildlife Foundation, and the Sri Lanka High Commission in the UK, recently announced the launch of the…
ESU enhances focus on the Colombo region with the official launch of ESU Colombo, building on its island-wide academic presence and reinforcing ESOFT’s vision to deliver world-class education to students in Sri Lanka’s commercial capital. The Colombo launch follows ESOFT’s growing success in academic innovation across the island and reflects its evolution from a pioneering…
Voices of Hope, Visions of Youth: An Exploratory Study, a powerful 26-minute documentary spotlighting the lived experiences of Sri Lankan youth, has been officially selected for screening at the 1st Film Festival of the 5th International Forum on Sociology, hosted by the International Sociological Association (ISA). The forum will be held from 6–11 July 2025…
RFP Pulse delivers faster, smarter RFP and DDQ responses with AI-powered automation built for asset managers Acuity Knowledge Partners’ RFP Pulse, a managed digital solution is designed to transform how asset and wealth managers respond to RFPs (Requests for Proposals) and DDQs (Due Diligence Questionnaires). Already live with multiple clients, RFP Pulse is delivering measurable…
SriLankan Cargo, the air freight arm of SriLankan Airlines, was named a finalist for Airline of the Year – Asia at the prestigious World Air Cargo Awards 2025, held recently at the air cargo Europe trade fair in Messe München, Munich, Germany. Nominees were selected by an international, independent panel of judges, with finalists determined…
Top News
City of Dreams Sri Lanka, South Asia’s first fully integrated luxury resort, is set to make a bold mark on the region with its much-anticipated grand opening on 2 August 2025. In a strategic move to spotlight the country’s growing appeal as a high-end tourism destination, the resort will welcome over 100 international journalists, influencers,…
Sri Lanka stands to benefit significantly from the UK’s latest trade reforms, as the British government unveiled a series of upgrades to the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) on 10 July. The changes include simplified rules of origin, allowing more Sri Lankan goods — particularly garments — to enter the UK tariff-free, even when using…
Independent Growth Study Group unveils critical strategies for sustained and transformative growth in 2025-2030 A new report launched today offers a bold roadmap for Sri Lanka to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth over the coming five years. Sustaining Transformative Growth in Sri Lanka 2025–2030, authored by an Independent Growth Study Group under the auspices of ODI…
Second daily service to offer the award-winning Premium Economy seats Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, will deploy its retrofitted four-class Boeing 777 on flights EK650/651 operating between Dubai and Colombo from 18 July. Services on the enhanced aircraft, with newly-configured and refreshed cabins, will be the airline’s second daily flight in Sri Lanka to…
Reuters – U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a global trade war with an array of tariffs that target individual products and countries. Trump has set a baseline tariff of 10% on all imports to the United States, as well as additional duties on certain products or countries. Here is a list of targeted tariffs he has…
The announcement of a 30% reciprocal tariff by the U.S., scheduled to take effect from 1st August 2025, has raised significant concern within Sri Lanka’s apparel industry. As one of the country’s largest export earners, the sector relies heavily on access to the U.S. market, and such a steep increase threatens to erode competitiveness, particularly…
Strengthening Collaboration in Agriculture, Nutrition and Digital Infrastructure President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (10) met with Dr. Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Gates Foundation, for high-level discussions focused on key areas critical to Sri Lanka’s development. The meeting, held at the Presidential Secretariat, explored collaborative efforts in agricultural modernisation, nutrition, digital public…
A special discussion on the new tariff policy imposed by the United States was held Yesterday morning (10) at the Presidential Secretariat between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and a delegation representing Sri Lanka. Participating in the discussion were Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Secretary to the Ministry…
Analysis
Independent Growth Study Group unveils critical strategies for sustained and transformative growth in 2025-2030 A new report launched today offers a bold roadmap for Sri Lanka to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth over the coming five years. Sustaining Transformative Growth in Sri Lanka 2025–2030, authored by an Independent Growth Study Group under the auspices of ODI…
Thousands of parcels ordered by Sri Lankans from popular e-commerce platforms like TEMU, AliExpress, and eBay are now stuck at customs, caught in a legal grey zone that’s choking the flow of goods. Advocata Institute warns ensuring consumer choice through a competitive market is key to delivering reasonable prices and better quality for Sri Lankans….
Sri Lanka’s export industries – especially the apparel sector, have long depended on efficient tax mechanisms to remain competitive in global markets. But one persistent bottleneck has threatened that edge for years: the country’s complex and delayed VAT refund process. This challenge is not new. In the early 2000s, a major VAT fraud case shook…
Video Story
