Sri Lanka invites Malaysian corporates to invest
The Morning: Sri Lanka invited Malaysian businesses to collaborate and establish strong supply chains, as Sri Lanka prepares for its next phase of growth.
Speaking at the business networking event themed Business Beyond Borders, held on 22 September at the Commonwealth Club, Kuala Lumpur, to discuss trade and investment opportunities, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Malaysia, Dharshana M Perera said that Sri Lanka at present maintains a stable political and economic environment for business, pointing to the political stability achieved through a democratic process and the strong governance framework under the Clean Sri Lanka programme.
He observed that the elevation of Sri Lanka’s Fitch sovereign rating from ‘CCC+’ to ‘B’ on 21 September reflected strengthening macroeconomic fundamentals, including fiscal stability, growing foreign exchange reserves and projected economic growth of 5% through to 2030.
The event, organised by the Malaysia-Sri Lanka Business Chamber (MSLBC) and the Malaysia-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) in Kuala Lumpur, in collaboration with key sponsors and with the support of the respective diplomatic missions of Sri Lanka and Viet Nam in Kuala Lumpur, brought together more than 75 business executives from multiple sectors, including manufacturing, tourism, IT, real estate and construction, consultancy services, trading, financial and banking institutions, among others, as well as key Malaysian government agencies.
Presenting opportunities for collaboration in investment, High Commissioner Perera, presented a set of carefully developed Ready to Invest projects designed by the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka High Commission, covering the energy, tourism, manufacturing, real estate, shipping and logistics, agriculture and IT sectors. The proposals provided key information, including project locations, investment incentives, market growth trajectories, revenue models, and Net Present value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) calculations.
The High Commissioner invited Malaysian corporates to seize the opportunity to participate in the business and investment event, Sri Lanka Expo 2027, scheduled to take place in Colombo from 14 to 17 January 2027. He said Malaysian businesses should consider Sri Lanka as a dependable supplier of goods, given its diverse range of export products, including IT services, boat and shipbuilding, gems and precious stones, fisheries, apparel and food products. He further highlighted opportunities for Malaysian businesses to partner with Sri Lanka and access a market of approximately 3.5 billion people in the EU, UK, India, Pakistan and other destinations through Sri Lanka’s market access.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and expanding investment landscape are creating new business/investment opportunities for Malaysian businesses/investors seeking to establish partnerships, diversify supply chains and access new markets. The country’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean, improving macroeconomic conditions and growing demand across key sectors provide a platform for Malaysian companies to expand their presence in Sri Lanka. Business/investment opportunities are emerging in energy, tourism, manufacturing, real estate, shipping and logistics, agriculture and information technology. Sri Lanka’s efforts to attract investment through ready-to-invest projects also provide potential investors with greater clarity on project locations, incentives, market prospects and expected returns. This could facilitate partnerships between Malaysian companies and Sri Lankan businesses while supporting technology transfer, capital investment and the development of new supply chains. As Sri Lanka enters its next phase of economic growth, stronger commercial ties with Malaysia could create opportunities for investment in both traditional industries and emerging sectors, while enabling Malaysian businesses to use Sri Lanka as a strategic base for wider regional markets.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20261008Z_4 |