The 10th Annual Outlook Report 2025 was officially launched by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce at the Economic Review and Outlook 2025 seminar. This year’s theme, “Consolidating Stability; Fostering Sustainable Growth”, encapsulates Sri Lanka’s progress toward economic recovery and resilience. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, highlighting policy directions and economic priorities for 2025.

Organised by the Chamber’s Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), the report provides a three-part analysis. The first section reviews Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic fundamentals, including growth, inflation, monetary policy, performance of the external, fiscal and the financial sector. The second section offers a detailed review and outlook for ten key sectors: agriculture, tourism, retail, apparel, digital and IT/BPO, energy, logistics and transport, banking and insurance, fisheries, and poultry. The final section presents a forward-looking analysis of global and regional economic trends, emphasizing their implications for Sri Lanka’s recovery and growth trajectory.

In his opening remarks, Duminda Hulangamuwa, Chairman of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, underscored the Chamber’s three-pillar strategy— Policy Advocacy, Engagement, and Market Access—which guides its efforts to support the business community and drive economic progress. He highlighted that while the EIU plays a critical role in policy advocacy, this seminar aligns with the Engagement pillar by fostering knowledge-sharing and dialogue on Sri Lanka’s economic outlook. Emphasizing the importance of leveraging Sri Lanka’s resilience, he stated, “This year’s report not only reflects on challenges but also provides a roadmap for sustainable growth and the reforms essential for long-term stability.”

Presenting the report, Senior Economist Sanjaya Ariyawansa highlighted Sri Lanka’s cautious optimism for 2025. Ariyawansa noted the critical role of structural reforms, stating, “Sustained fiscal discipline, governance improvements, and investments in digital infrastructure are vital to ensuring Sri Lanka’s economic recovery transitions into sustainable growth.”

A distinguished panel discussion followed, moderated by Ariyawansa. Panelists included: Bingumal Thewarathanthri, Chairman, Sri Lanka Banks Association & MD/CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka, Dr. Chandranath Amarasekara, Assistant Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr. Shruti Lakhtakia, Economist, The World Bank Sri Lanka Office, Ruvini Fernando, Head of Strategy, Deloitte Sri Lanka and Maldives and Romesh David, CEO, South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT)

The panel provided valuable insights into fiscal and monetary reforms, digital transformation, the investment climate, growth opporutntiies and challneges, and regional economic trends.