Sri Lanka

Welcome to Sri Lanka

Along with a burgeoning tourist trade, Sri Lanka has a growing exports industry, which includes textile and garments, tea, rubber and spices. This island nation’s geographic location makes it a strategically important location for global trading routes. The country provides universal access to primary education and has made great strides in recent years in achieving gender parity in general education, helping to pave the way for a bright future.

HSBC Sri Lanka was established in 1892 and has a proud history of more than 130 years in the country. The bank serves customers through three global businesses: Commercial Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Wealth and Personal Banking.

As the largest international bank in the country, HSBC provides a comprehensive range of cross-border and financial services to suit both personal and business needs. Our funding capability combined with the strength of the HSBC network gives us the edge in funding large scale projects.

Whether you’re moving to the region, working in the area, or purely investing or doing business in Sri Lanka, HSBC can deliver a world-class banking experience supported by in-depth local market expertise.

I look forward to seeing you here!

Mark Surgenor CEO, HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives

24, Sir Baron Jayathilaka Mawatha, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Gem of the Indian Ocean

• Restoring stability

  Positioned as a key trading hub in the Indian Ocean for over 1,000 years, the tear-drop shaped island south of India had one of the strongest economies in Southeast Asia until 2022, when political unrest started to unfold. Currently, the country is facing challenging times, but is working hard to restore stability.

• New port city

  After receiving USD1.4 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from China, Port City (Colombo), situated on major shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, saw its land reclamation phase completed by the end of 2019. It will become a hub for global trade, and with assistance from Sri Lanka’s National Agency for Public Private Partnerships, there are calls for investor proposals to build a hospital, international school, convention centre and hotel at the port.

• Culture fest and travel

  Featuring a wealth of historical and cultural sights, Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with much to see. Transportation between these sights is slightly difficult, as trains and buses can be outdated and run slowly or on a delayed timetable. Ground transportation is necessary, as domestic flights are few and far between, but there is an abundance of taxis, hire cars with drivers and tuk-tuks.

• Population changes

  Population growth rates have been on a steady decline due to decreasing birth rates, but the total population does continue to increase. Two universities feature in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings – University of Peradeniya is the highest ranked in Sri Lanka at 401-500. Of total expenditure in Sri Lanka, 14.5% is on education, and there is an 18.97% rate of enrolment in higher education.

• Pro business environment

  The country has a sophisticated and transparent regulatory and legal framework and offers excellent safety of foreign investments. Its strategic location makes it an ideal location for doing business, with the opportunity to enter newer markets and start trade by venturing out through shipping routes.

Country profile

Famous for its stunning location in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is more than just a burgeoning tourist destination.

Sri Lanka’s recovery from its 30-year civil war has led to a boom in reconstruction. With its highly-educated population, rule of law, strong relationships with the UK and free trade agreements with India, Pakistan and Singapore, the island is a gateway for those seeking to do business in the region. Moving away from a predominantly rural economy, Sri Lanka has seen growth in service industries and manufacturing. Its position on the Maritime Silk Road makes it a key point on the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with a Sino–Sri Lankan free trade agreement under negotiation.

Sri Lanka is the world’s fourth largest tea producer, and it is where the quintessentially British Lipton Tea was first founded back in the 1880s. Tea has remained a key export product ever since.

Tourism is one of the country’s main sectors, with growth in both international and domestic tourists, attracted by Sri Lanka’s stunning beaches and ancient heritage. The country’s agriculture is focused on tea, coconuts and rubber. Sri Lanka is one of the world’s leading suppliers of brown fibre from coconuts and ranked twelfth amongst global rubber producers in 2020.

Read on to discover more about the dos and don’ts of doing business in Sri Lanka and how trading in or with the country could help boost the future growth of your business.

5 key challenges when doing business in Sri Lanka²

1. 1

   Variable tax rates

   While corporation tax currently stands at a standard rate of 28%, tax rates of 14% and 40% also apply to profits from specific businesses. Nation Building Tax (NBT) was abolished with effect from December 2019 and the Economic Service Charge (ESC) was abolished with effect from January 2020.²

2. 2

   High import duties

   High and flexible import tariffs, as well as the application of other import taxes such as VAT, can increase costs for suppliers. Additionally, in 2022, Sri Lanka limited imports of 367 non-essential items, including fish, footwear and wine.³

3. 3

   Climate change

   Following the 2004 tsunami that claimed thousands of lives, as well the impact of severe drought and seasonal flooding, action on climate resilience is a key focus for the Sri Lankan economy.

4. 4

   Corruption

   Corruption levels remain high across the region, with Sri Lanka no exception. There has been little improvement in this in recent years

5. 5

   Economic uncertainty

   Urgent policy measures are needed to address the high levels of debt and debt service, reduce the fiscal deficit, restore external stability, and mitigate the adverse impacts on the poor and vulnerable.