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Sri Lanka targets US$ 1.8bn AI sector by 2030

Sri Lanka, Aug. 13 -- Sri Lanka has set an ambitious goal for its artificial intelligence (AI) sector contributing US$ 1.5 to US$ 1.8 billion, or 10-12 percent, of the nation's projected US$ 15 billio... Read More


July start signals even tougher climb to reach 3 mn tourist arrivals by year-end

Sri Lanka, July 16 -- Sri Lanka's ambitious goal of welcoming 3 million tourists in 2025 faces further pressure after a lackluster start to July. The island nation recorded 79,771 arrivals in the fi... Read More


Sri Lanka's recovery at risk without growth commission: CEPA

Sri Lanka, July 11 -- A new report from a group of eminent economic thinkers has proposed the formulation of an independent growth commission to guide Sri Lanka towards sustained economic recovery and... Read More


Sri Lankan apparel brands demand 300-400% CESS hike to combat 'cheap' imports

Sri Lanka, July 10 -- Sri Lanka's domestic clothing brands are calling for a drastic 300 to 400 percent increase in the Commodity Export Subsidy Scheme (CESS) levy on the imported apparel, arguing it ... Read More


Industry leader warns of "digital isolation" as new VAT threatens to derail Sri Lanka's ICT sector

Sri Lanka, July 10 -- With Sri Lanka's new 18 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on foreign digital services now a settled policy taking effect this October, focus has sharply shifted to its potential econ... Read More


Potential Trump tariffs could trigger 50,000 job losses initially, warns FTZMA

Sri Lanka, July 8 -- Sri Lanka's economy is bracing for a potential shockwave, as the Free Trade Zone Manufacturers Association (FTZMA) warns that the proposed tariffs by President Donald Trump could ... Read More


NTC pushes digital shift with transit cards, Google Maps despite audit heat

Sri Lanka, July 8 -- The National Transport Commission (NTC) is advancing its plans to modernise Sri Lanka's public transport system by introducing a prepaid transit card and integrating bus routes in... Read More


UNDP warns household debt crisis worsening

Sri Lanka, July 5 -- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warned that Sri Lanka's household debt crisis has likely intensified since last measured in 2023, as it threw its weight behind a m... Read More


Hundreds of vehicles stranded as Sri Lanka Customs enforces decade-old import rule

Sri Lanka, June 26 -- Hundreds of vehicles are stranded at the port, with hundreds more on the way, after Sri Lanka Customs abruptly halted the clearance of vehicles imported under cross-border Letter... Read More


IRD clears significant VAT refund backlog

Sri Lanka, June 20 -- The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has disbursed a large portion of its long-standing tax refund backlog this year, following a targeted intervention by the Finance Ministry to ... Read More