The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka has reported a significant increase of US$96 million in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during the first quarter of 2025, compared to the same period last year. This was announced on June 20 during a progress review meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
In addition to the FDI boost, domestic investment rose by US$21 million, and export income grew by US$176 millionin the first quarter of 2025. So far this year, Sri Lanka has attracted a total of US$4.67 billion in foreign investment proposals.
The meeting also addressed the challenges and barriers to attracting investment, with discussions focused on strategic solutions to improve Sri Lanka’s investment climate.
President Dissanayake emphasized that the BOI plays a crucial role in economic development and in uplifting rural living standards. He noted that traditional sectors are reaching their limits in investment potential, and that it is now essential to explore emerging industries and innovation-led opportunities—an initiative that falls squarely within the BOI’s responsibilities.
Highlighting the urgency for progress, the President remarked that Sri Lanka has only attracted US$22 billion in total investment since 1978, while countries like Vietnam secured US$23 billion in a single year (2022). He urged the BOI to prioritize the services sector, such as IT, finance, and logistics, and to proactively seek out new investment frontiersrather than attempting to recover past opportunities.
Among those present at the meeting were Duminda Hulangamuwa, Senior Advisor to the President on Economic Affairs; Arjuna Herath, Chairman of the BOI; and Renuka Weerakone, Acting Director General of the BOI.
