President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Sri Lankan delegation have returned to the island after attending the AI Impact Summit 2026 held in New Delhi, India.

The delegation arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last night aboard SriLankan Airlines flight UL-196 from New Delhi.

President Dissanayake travelled to India at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in the summit.

On the sidelines of the Global AI Impact Summit, President Dissanayake held a bilateral meeting yesterday (20) with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In addition, the President engaged in bilateral discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during the summit.

The AI Impact Summit 2026 brought together global leaders to deliberate on the future of artificial intelligence and international cooperation in emerging technologies.

Atmospheric conditions are favorable for thundershowers over most parts of the island and showery condition is expected to enhance today (21).

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces and in the Hambantota district.
Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere after 1.00 p.m.

Heavy falls above 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Batticaloa, Ampara and Polonnaruwa districts. Fairly heavy falls above 75 mm are likely at some places elsewhere.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara and Kaluthara districts during the early hours of the morning.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Roger Srivasan

The government’s contemplation of house arrest as a mechanism to ease chronic prison overcrowding is both timely and necessary. Overcrowded prisons are not merely an administrative inconvenience; they are a systemic failure that erodes rehabilitation, strains public finances, and hardens minor offenders into habitual criminals. Reform, therefore, is not optional — it is imperative.
Such measures, however, are not novel, nor are they experimental. In the United Kingdom, alternatives to custodial sentencing have been part of the criminal-justice architecture for decades. One of the most well-known early instruments was the Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBO), introduced in the late 1990s as a civil measure aimed at curbing low-level, persistent antisocial conduct without resorting to imprisonment.
The UK Experience: Pragmatism Over Punishment
ASBOs were designed to address behaviours that were disruptive rather than dangerous — vandalism, intimidation, nuisance offences — acts that corrode community life but do not warrant incarceration. Crucially, they were preventive rather than punitive, combining restrictions on movement and behaviour with judicial oversight. Over time, this philosophy evolved into more sophisticated systems, including electronic tagging, home-detention curfews, and community sentences, all aimed at reserving prison space for serious and violent offenders.
The UK’s experience demonstrated several key advantages:
Prison overcrowding was alleviated, allowing correctional facilities to focus resources on rehabilitation rather than containment.
Public expenditure was reduced, as home-based supervision costs a fraction of incarceration.
Reoffending rates among minor offenders declined, particularly when restrictions were paired with employment, treatment, or counselling.
Community stability improved, as petty offenders were restrained without being fully severed from family and work.
Importantly, these measures were not applied indiscriminately. The British model succeeded precisely because it was selective, graduated, and anchored in judicial discretion.
The Crucial Caveat: Offender Categorisation
This is where policy debates often falter. House arrest is a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. Its legitimacy rests entirely on who is included — and who is excluded.
Any such scheme must be strictly confined to petty, non-violent offenders: minor theft, low-level nuisance offences, regulatory breaches, or first-time infractions. To extend house arrest to serious criminals — particularly those involved in violence, organised crime, or narcotics — would be not reform, but folly. It would erode public trust, embolden hardened offenders, and blur the moral boundaries of justice.
The UK avoided this pitfall by maintaining a clear hierarchy of punishment: community control for minor offences, custody for grave ones. That clarity preserved both public confidence and judicial credibility.
A Reform Worth Embracing — With Discipline
Adopted wisely, house arrest can humanise justice without weakening it. It recognises that not all offenders are alike, and that incarceration should be a last resort, not a default reflex. It also affirms a deeper truth: that justice is best served not by filling prisons, but by reducing the conditions that create repeat offenders.
The lesson from the United Kingdom is unmistakable. Alternative sentencing works — but only when guided by restraint, rigour, and reason. If applied with discipline and clear boundaries, house arrest can be a powerful instrument of modern penal reform. If applied carelessly, it risks becoming a dangerous indulgence.
Reform, therefore, must be firm, focused, and fearless — but never naïve.

By Roger Srivasan

Only yesterday, Anura Kumara Dissanayake did something utterly unprecedented in Sri Lanka’s political history. Without razzmatazz, red carpets, or choreographed fanfare, he climbed the dirt tracks of a tea plantation in search of its workers — to meet them, speak with them, and interact with them as equals.

The reaction of the plantation workers was one of astonishment and overwhelming delight. Never before has a sitting national leader set foot on a plantation estate and mingled freely with its labourers, unmediated and unguarded. This was not a staged visit, nor a publicity exercise; it was an unvarnished human encounter.

One worker, visibly moved by the moment, summed it up with quiet reverence: “We are immensely blessed to have our soil sanctified by your footsteps.” The remark, simple yet profound, captured the emotional gravity of the occasion.

This was not political theatre. It was humility in motion. In a country where leadership has long been insulated by protocol and distance, this unscripted walk along dusty plantation paths spoke louder than speeches delivered from elevated platforms.

Indubitably, it was a historic moment — not because it was orchestrated, but because it was sincere.

The 75th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force coincides with one of its most comprehensive fleet modernisation efforts in recent memory. Despite economic headwinds and geopolitical disruptions, the Air Force is moving ahead with aircraft acquisitions, foreign-assisted upgrades, and expanded training capability to strengthen national resilience.

Central to the plan is an estimated US$18 million overhaul of four Mi-17 helicopters. Once refurbished, three aircraft will deploy with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic, reinforcing Sri Lanka’s longstanding contribution to UN peacekeeping while potentially earning foreign exchange. The fourth helicopter will remain in-country, enhancing rapid response capacity during floods, cyclones and medical evacuations.

Two Beechcraft King Air aircraft 350 and 360ER variants donated by the United States and Australia, are already boosting maritime domain awareness. Given Sri Lanka’s strategic location along major Indian Ocean shipping lanes, improved surveillance supports anti-smuggling, fisheries protection and environmental monitoring operations.

Further strengthening training and disaster preparedness, ten TH-57 Sea Ranger helicopters from the US Navy are scheduled for delivery. These platforms will expand pilot training throughput while reducing pressure on frontline operational aircraft.

The SLAF is also revitalising its combat and transport fleet. Five Kfir fighter jets are nearing completion of a US$50 million avionics and radar upgrade conducted by Israel Aerospace Industries. Meanwhile, F-7 and K-8 aircraft are being refurbished locally with Chinese technical assistance. Discussions are underway regarding possible acquisition of C-130 Hercules transport aircraft to enhance heavy-lift capability.

These developments unfold as Sri Lanka continues fiscal consolidation following its economic crisis. Defence planners argue that modernisation today prevents higher replacement costs tomorrow and ensures readiness for evolving security and climate-related challenges. Recent extreme weather events exposed operational gaps, reinforcing the need for reliable airlift and surveillance capacity.

Importantly, several elements of the programme leverage foreign grants, technical partnerships and peacekeeping deployments, potentially offsetting direct treasury burdens. UN missions in particular have historically provided reimbursement mechanisms that can support maintenance and training budgets.

In parallel, the SLAF plans to inaugurate a Space Research and Innovation Section, signalling a long-term vision that extends beyond conventional air operations. If aligned with civilian scientific institutions, such initiatives could stimulate technological development and regional collaboration.

While fiscal prudence remains essential, the modernisation drive represents a calculated attempt to align national defence capabilities with emerging security realities. In an increasingly volatile regional and climatic environment, strategic air power  when efficiently managed  serves not only military objectives but also humanitarian, environmental and diplomatic interests.

As Sri Lanka charts its post-crisis recovery, the balance between financial restraint and strategic preparedness will define the sustainability of this ambitious renewal effort.

 Sri Lanka’s construction sector appears to have entered a phase of cost stabilisation, with Colombo retaining one of the most competitive construction cost positions in Asia, according to the latest industry benchmarks.

The 2025 Construction Cost Report – Colombo, issued by the Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB) and prepared by VFORM Consultants Ltd., shows that Colombo ranks among the lowest-cost construction markets across the region. The study compares average construction costs per square metre with major Asian cities including Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Bangalore.

 Findings indicate that Colombo recorded the lowest construction cost position in five of the six building categories assessed, including high-rise apartments, prestige office towers, three-star hotels, five-star resort hotels and large shopping complexes. It ranked second-lowest in industrial warehouse construction. In aggregate cost per square metre, Colombo was the second-lowest city overall in Asia.

 A significant contributor to cost stabilisation has been the easing of key material prices. Data from the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA), cited in the report, show that between 2024 and 2025 reinforcement steel prices fell by 21%, fuel costs declined by 10%, and concrete prices edged down by 1%, while cement rose modestly by 3%. Lower fuel costs were a key factor behind reduced concrete pricing, whereas cement increases reflected global input pressures.

 Currency stability also played a role. The Sri Lankan rupee fluctuated within a narrow 1% band against the US dollar during the review period, reducing volatility in imported construction inputs. However, the report underscores the cumulative impact of exchange rate depreciation since 2020: while construction costs rose 13% in US dollar terms over five years, they increased 81% in local currency terms.

 Despite material cost relief, overall construction costs in 2025 rose moderately due to labour-related pressures. Statutory wage revisions and continued migration of skilled workers abroad contributed to approximately 5% growth in skilled labour wages, according to CIDA indices.

 Encouragingly, sector performance indicators point to recovery. Construction activity expanded by 12.2% in the third quarter of 2025, with Gross Value Addition reaching Rs. 499.9 billion. Growth was also observed in mining and material supply subsectors, reinforcing supply chain resilience.

CIOB President Dr. Rohan Karunaratne noted that the annual report serves as a reference for government infrastructure planning, Board of Investment project appraisals, foreign direct investment structuring and multilateral feasibility studies.

While labour and financing pressures persist, Colombo’s sustained regional cost advantage highlights the sector’s capacity to absorb post-crisis shocks. As Sri Lanka seeks to attract investment and accelerate infrastructure delivery, transparent and updated cost benchmarks remain central to informed decision-making and long-term industry planning.

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry faces a delicate test after a temporary technical issue disrupted the delivery of Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) approval notices to travellers in the United Kingdom  the country’s second-largest source market.

The matter, acknowledged by the Sri Lankan High Commission in the United Kingdom, affects approval confirmations issued by the Department of Immigration and Emigration. Authorities have assured travellers that they may proceed without the approval email, with entry verification conducted on arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport.

From a logistical standpoint, the contingency arrangement appears sound. Airlines have been formally notified, minimising the risk of passengers being denied boarding. However, industry stakeholders caution that the short-term impact may be felt less in immediate cancellations and more in consumer sentiment.

The UK market carries disproportionate economic significance. British visitors are among the highest spenders per trip and tend to book longer stays, supporting hotels, boutique properties, tour operators and transport providers during the winter peak season. In early February alone, 17,807 UK travellers arrived, contributing to a year-to-date total of 47,347. With 212,277 arrivals recorded in 2025, the UK remains central to Sri Lanka’s long-haul strategy.

Short-term disruptions can influence booking cycles, particularly among first-time visitors unfamiliar with local procedures. Travel agents report that uncertainty even when clarified  often generates additional reassurance requests, slowing conversions during competitive seasonal windows.

At the same time, the episode underscores how modern tourism ecosystems depend on stable digital infrastructure. Electronic visa systems are now baseline expectations rather than value-added conveniences. Competing destinations in South and Southeast Asia have invested heavily in seamless e-visa processing to attract high-yield travellers.

While authorities are working to restore full ETA functionality, analysts suggest that transparent communication and rapid resolution will be critical in containing reputational risk. Strengthening system redundancy and proactive stakeholder engagement could further safeguard confidence.

In the short term, the disruption is unlikely to derail overall arrival momentum if addressed promptly. Nevertheless it serves as a cautionary signal: in a recovery phase built on premium positioning and operational reliability, administrative precision is inseparable from tourism competitiveness.

Sri Lanka’s unit trust industry has entered 2026 with measurable momentum, as assets under management climbed past Rs. 600 billion in January, marking a 6.1% year-on-year expansion and a 3.8% increase from December levels.

According to the Unit Trust Association of Sri Lanka, the growth has been propelled largely by equity-related funds, whose AUM doubled to Rs. 67 billion compared with the previous year. A sharp 10.2% month-on-month rise underscores sustained investor interest in capital market exposure following two years of strong stock performance.

In the short term, this shift has important implications. Rising allocations to equity funds enhance liquidity within the Colombo market, potentially supporting valuations and trading volumes. Collective investment vehicles also allow smaller investors to access diversified portfolios, distributing risk more efficiently than direct share purchases.

Investor participation figures reinforce this trend. The industry attracted 3,110 new unit holders in January up 35% year-on-year lifting the total to 147,020 investors, a 25.7% increase. Broader participation strengthens domestic savings mobilisation, an essential component of economic recovery and private sector capital formation.

Nevertheless, analysts caution that short-term market optimism can expose inexperienced investors to volatility if conditions reverse. Sustained performance will depend on disciplined portfolio management and regulatory vigilance by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka.

For now, the data point to rising confidence in professionally managed funds and an evolving investment culture that increasingly favours long-term wealth accumulation over passive savings.

Unit Trust Assets Cross Rs. 600 Billion

Sri Lanka’s unit trust industry has exceeded Rs. 600 billion in assets under management, recording 6.1% year-on-year growth in January 2026.

The Unit Trust Association of Sri Lanka said equity-related funds led the expansion, doubling to Rs. 67 billion, while total investor numbers rose 25.7% to 147,020.

Regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka, the sector continues to attract new participants amid stronger capital market performance.