Srilanka, Nov. 8 -- In a signal to the investors weary of Sri Lanka's uneven playing field, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday used Budget 2026 to draw a line under what he called an era of "cronyism, racketeering and nepotism".

Dissanayake asserted that investment in the island nation would not hinge on privilege but instead on "policy credibility, discretion and predictability".

"This kind of environment helps attract quality investments. Provide the strength required for the recovery of our nation," Dissanayake said presenting Budget 2026, the second under his leadership and the second for the year.

Successive governments have echoed this sentiment in past budgets and have had little success in translating it into meaning...