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Sri Lanka in dilemma over import restrictions removal – Economics don
The government has taken a number of steps to pass the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s first review of its loan, Prof. Priyanga Dunusinghe, Department of Economics at the Colombo University says.
“The IMF made several recommendations. One of them is increasing the tax revenue of the government. It also wanted the government to make the Central Bank independent and ensure that the state-owned enterprises adhere to cost reflective pricing. The IMF also wanted a strong safety net. Some progress has been made on these fronts,” he said.
Prof. Dunusinghe said the government had already faced tough resistance to those moves.
“Not all goals set by the IMF have been met, but it’s obvious that the government is serious about meeting the targets,” he said.
Prof. Dunusinghe added that Sri Lankans must be proud that the government had repaid the loan taken from Bangladesh in 2022.
However, the decision to remove all import restrictions, apart from those on private vehicles, from October might be premature, he said. There are still restrictions on importing over 600 items, he said.
“We must do a thorough study first to see if we are in a position to do so. I know there is a lot of pressure on the government to lift import restrictions. There is a lot of pressure from the EU. They have opened their markets to us through GSP+, but we have closed our doors to their goods. The IMF is also not a big fan of import restrictions. I personally don’t think we are ready to let go of import restrictions so early,” he said.
“However, we can’t keep import restrictions going on for a long time as well. Sri Lankan products too are being sold to other countries and we need to show reciprocity,” he said.
“Some businesses might import large quantities of items to buffer up stocks. The government must ensure that the rupee is not greatly depreciated. We can control the import of goods through tariffs. We have signed agreements with the World Trade Organization (WTO) that we won’t go beyond certain tariff thresholds. However, there is room for us to operate. We can get rid of import bans, but we can still discourage imports,” he said.
Prof. Dunusinghe also said that politicisation of key institutions was a serious problem for the country as those with political affiliations were not keen on delivering bad news to their political masters.
“Sri Lanka is also talking about giving tax concessions to attract investors. We have tried this since 1977, without much success. We have not addressed what really deters investors, such as policy inconsistencies, corruption, and lack of infrastructure. We just give tax concessions, which are often used by crooks,” he said.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Iran has sought the Indian intervention, at the highest level, to provide lifesaving support to the crews of empty Iranian vessels stranded just outside Sri Lanka’s 12-nautical mile territorial waters off Galle.
Sources familiar with the issue said that Iran had brought the developing situation to the attention of New Delhi as the crews of almost 20 vessels, included Indian nationals. Sources stressed that the group of vessels that unloaded crude oil a couple of months back were now stranded within Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The US Navy torpedoed an unarmed Iran frigate, returning from India, on 04 March, 2026, about 19 nautical miles off the Galle coast. The unprovoked attack killed nearly 100 Iranians.
The Iranian Embassy in Colombo has inquired from the Indian High Commission of their response to the situation, sources said. The US has issued a global warning against providing food, water, medicine and other services to the Iranian vessels. The outcome of Iran-India talks on the issue at hand was not known, though sources asserted India may not throw its weight behind Iranian efforts to address the issue.
Responding to The Island queries, sources said both Sri Lanka and India were in a dilemma due to the US warning. India couldn’t ignore the plight of the Indian crew members and the Iranian vessels in its backyard.
The Sri Lankan government remains tight-lipped about the vessels stranded in its EEZ. Our efforts to elicit a response from relevant authorities were in vain. In addition to Indians, there are Bangladeshis among the crew members. Iran has explicitly stated the responsibilities of the countries concerned to provide assistance in terms of international law.
The Iranian position was articulated by its Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Dr.Alireza Delkhosh, recently. In a special statement, Ambassador Delkhosh emphasised that in terms of the Convention on the Law of the Sea (Article 98) as well as SOLAS and SAR
Conventions, Sri Lanka couldn’t refrain from providing the needs of the Iranian vessels stranded in its EEZ.
SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem lambasted the NPP government in Parliament for failing to provide assistance to the Iranian ships. The former Minister alleged that the government was simply carrying out dictates of the US. He strongly criticised the way Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath was handling the issue.
MP Namal Rajapaksa, who is in remand custody over the controversial Airbus deal, was further remanded until October 27 by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday (13).
Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama made the order after considering submissions by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and lawyers representing Rajapaksa.
Sri Lanka’s economy is expected to sustain its recovery over the next two years, although growth is projected to moderate amid mounting global uncertainties, according to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest World Economic Outlook.
In its World Economic Outlook 2026: Resilience Under Strain, Urgent Choices, the IMF projects Sri Lanka’s economy to expand by 4% in 2026, slowing to 3.7% in 2027, following estimated growth of 5% in 2025.
Inflation, meanwhile, is forecast to rise to 5.3% in 2026 and 5.4% in 2027, reversing the average deflation rate of 0.5% recorded in 2025.
Unemployment is expected to remain steady at 3.9% throughout the forecast period.
The projections come amid growing pressure on the global economy from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, elevated energy prices, geopolitical tensions and trade disruptions.
Sri Lanka’s external position is also expected to weaken, with the current account balance projected to shift from a surplus of 1.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 to deficits of 0.5% in 2026 and 0.3% in 2027.
The IMF’s outlook points to continued economic expansion in Sri Lanka, but with slower growth, rising inflation and a narrowing external surplus giving way to current account deficits over the forecast period.
Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central, and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura district.
Sri Lanka, India caught in US-Iran ship crisis
Namal further remanded
IMF projects Lankan economic growth to moderate amidst mounting global uncertainties
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Dickwella axed, Bandara earns maiden Test call up
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