September 21, Colombo (LNW): Prevailing showery and windy condition over the south western parts of the island is expected to continue, the Department of Meteorologys said in its daily weather forecast today (21).
Showers will occur at times in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Fairly heavy falls of about 75 mm are likely at some places.
Several spells of showers may occur in Northern and North-western provinces.
Showers or thundershowers are likely at a few places in Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 p.m.
Fairly strong winds of about (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Central, North-central and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by lightning and temporary localised strong winds during thundershowers.
Marine Weather:
Condition of Rain:
Showers are likely at several places in the sea areas off the coast extending from Kankasanthurai to Matara via Puttalam, Colombo and Galle.
Winds:
Winds will be south-westerly and wind speed will be (30-40) kmph. Wind speed can increase up to (50-55) kmph at times in the sea areas off the coast extending from Chilaw to Trincomalee via Mannar and Kankasanthurai and from Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota.
State of Sea:
The sea areas off the coast extending from Chilaw to Trincomalee via Mannar and Kankasanthurai and from Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota may be rough at times.
Prevailing showery, windy conditions expected to continue (Sep 21)
“Veerabhivandana” – Prof. E. A. Weerasinghe Felicitation Ceremony
Honouring a Visionary Leader, a Transformative Force, and a True Inspiration for Generations to Come.
The Founding Vice Chancellor of NSBM Green Prof. E. A. Weerasinghe was proudly honoured during the “Veerabhivandana” felicitation ceremony organized by the Alumni Association of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. This special event celebrated Prof. Weerasinghe, an esteemed alumnus of the University, for his recent recognition as the Most Visionary Leader of the Year 2025 at the Sri Lankan Entrepreneur Awards.
The ceremony was held under the respectable patronage and presence of Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura Ven. Dr. Ittapana Dhammalankara Anu Nayake Maha Thero, the Chief Prelate (Mahanayake) of Kotte Sri Kalayani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of SiyamMaha Nikaya.
Also in attendance were senior officials and staff from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJP), led by Vice Chancellor Senior Professor Pathmalal M. Manage, Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunga, Former Vice Chancellor of USJP, Emeritus Professor Sunil Ariyaratne, the Chancellor of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts as well as members of the alumni association under the leadership of Mr. Gamini Silva, President of the Alumni Association.
Representatives from NSBM Green University, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Chaminda Ratnayake, deans, heads, family members of Prof. Weerasinghe, and other notable dignitaries were also present to celebrate his remarkable achievements.
For NSBM Green University, Prof. Weerasinghe’s pioneering vision has been the driving force behind the institution’s growth, innovation, and international collaborations. His exceptional leadership, and transformative contribution inspire the NSBM community to uphold excellence, embrace innovation, and make a meaningful impact on society.
A Father’s Death Exposes Cricket’s Darker Side
A Retired Cricketer
The death of Suranga Wellalage on September 18, 2025, has sent shockwaves through Sri Lankan cricket that extend far beyond the boundaries of the sport itself. The 53-year-old former wicketkeeper-batsman, who captained Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa in 1993, suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while watching his son Dunith endure one of cricket’s most brutal experiences – conceding 32 runs in the final over against Afghanistan.
What followed Dunith’s expensive bowling figures was a familiar yet disturbing pattern in modern cricket: social media erupted in a torrent of abuse directed at both the young spinner and captain Charith Asalanka’s decision-making. Within hours, a promising cricketer had become the target of thousands of angry voices, his every mistake dissected and amplified across digital platforms.
For Suranga Wellalage, watching from afar, the vitriol may have been unbearable. Here was his son – the boy he had coached and mentored from childhood – being torn apart by strangers who would never face the pressure of bowling to international batsmen with a match on the line.
The Social Media Scourge
The incident has reignited urgent questions about social media’s role in modern sport. Cricket, once a gentleman’s game played before appreciative crowds, has morphed into a gladiatorial spectacle where every ball is scrutinized and every failure becomes ammunition for online mobs.
Young cricketers today don’t just battle opposing teams; they face an invisible army of keyboard warriors ready to pounce on any sign of weakness. The psychological toll is immense, but it extends beyond the players themselves to their families, who watch helplessly as their loved ones are subjected to public humiliation.
The transformation has been swift and merciless. Social media platforms that promised to bring fans closer to their heroes have instead created echo chambers of negativity where nuanced understanding of cricket’s complexities is lost in the rush to assign blame.
Performance at All Costs
Suranga’s death also highlights cricket’s relentless demand for perfection. In an era where every statistic is recorded and every failure replayed endlessly, the pressure on players has reached unprecedented levels. The margin for error has all but disappeared, replaced by an expectation that professional cricketers should be immune to the failures that define the sport’s very nature.
This “performance at all costs” mentality has created a generation of cricketers who carry enormous psychological burdens. They know that one poor over, one dropped catch, one mistimed shot could trigger an avalanche of criticism that follows them for months or even years.
For families watching from the sidelines, this pressure is equally intense. Parents who once celebrated their children’s sporting achievements now fear the potential backlash of poor performances. The joy of cricket is being steadily eroded by the weight of expectation and the certainty of harsh judgment.
The Health Crisis Among Former Cricketers
Perhaps most concerning is the emerging pattern of cardiac-related deaths among former Sri Lankan cricketers. Suranga’s passing follows several similar incidents, suggesting a deeper health crisis that demands immediate attention.
Former athletes often struggle with the transition from highly active professional lives to more sedentary retirement. The cardiovascular systems that were once finely tuned for peak performance can suffer when regular intense exercise stops. Add to this the stress of watching children face public criticism, and the health implications become genuinely alarming.
Cricket boards and medical professionals must urgently address this trend. Regular health screenings for former players should be mandatory, not optional. The sport owes this duty of care to those who gave their best years to entertaining fans and building cricket’s legacy.
A Son’s Grief, A Nation’s Reflection
As young Dunith Wellalage flew from Abu Dhabi to pay his final respects to the man who was his first coach and biggest supporter, Sri Lanka began an uncomfortable period of self-reflection. The same public that had vilified him just days earlier suddenly rallied to his support, perhaps recognizing their role in a family’s tragedy.
This outpouring of belated sympathy, while welcome, cannot undo the damage already done. It serves instead as a stark reminder of social media’s power to destroy and the human cost of our collective hunger for sporting drama.
The Way Forward
Cricket in Sri Lanka and globally stands at a crucial juncture. The sport can continue down its current path, where players are treated as commodities and families bear the psychological cost of public expectations. Or it can reclaim its soul, remembering that behind every statistic is a human being deserving of respect and understanding.
Social media platforms must take greater responsibility for the content they host and promote. Cricket boards need to provide better mental health support for current and former players. Most importantly, fans must remember that their words have power and the power to inspire or destroy, to build up or tear down.
Suranga Wellalage’s death should serve as a wake-up call. In our pursuit of sporting excellence and entertainment, we must not lose sight of our humanity. The price of victory should never be measured in lives lost or families destroyed.
As Dunith returns to cricket, carrying both his father’s legacy and his nation’s hopes, perhaps we can learn to support our players with the same passion we once reserved for criticism. It may be the most important lesson cricket can teach us all.
The author extends condolences to the Wellalage family and calls for cricket communities worldwide to reflect on their role in supporting, not destroying, the athletes who represent their hopes and dreams.
Sri Lanka’s Child-Friendly Courts: A Turning Point in Justice and Protection
By: Ovindi Vishmika
September 20, Colombo (LNW):
A New Era for Child Witnesses
Sri Lanka has taken a landmark step in reimagining its justice system with the introduction of child-friendly court facilities, beginning at the Kandy High Court. The initiative allows children to testify from secure, age-appropriate rooms equipped with modern audio-visual technology, ensuring that victims are not forced into direct confrontation with alleged perpetrators.
For decades, children in Sri Lanka faced the intimidating and often traumatizing experience of entering traditional courtrooms. The new child witness rooms are designed to protect their dignity while preserving the integrity of legal proceedings. Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, inaugurating the facility, called it a “turning point” for the country’s judicial system—one where justice now also means protection.
Beyond Technology: A Comprehensive Model Service
These witness rooms are part of a larger reform package: a comprehensive model service for child protection and justice. Jointly launched by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration and the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, with support from the European Union and UNICEF under the JURE project, the service introduces six flagship reforms.
These reforms include an enhanced 1929 Child Helpline, integrated case management, stronger support services, streamlined justice processes, improved practices for child testimony, and the establishment of child-friendly courts across the country. Together, they create a holistic framework to ensure that children receive not just justice but also sustained care and protection.
Legal Backing and Structural Change
Importantly, the initiative is anchored in law. The facilities operationalize recent amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, passed in June 2025, which formally recognize the validity of child testimony recorded outside the traditional courtroom. This legal recognition ensures that the innovation is enforceable, not symbolic.
By embedding these practices into legislation, the reforms represent more than pilot projects—they are structural changes to the justice system. They also lay the groundwork for specialized high courts for children, a step Minister Nanayakkara emphasized as crucial for the future of Sri Lanka’s judiciary.
Reducing Trauma, Strengthening Justice
The positive implications of these reforms are profound. Shielding children from direct confrontation with perpetrators reduces the risk of secondary victimization, a well-documented weakness of adversarial justice systems. Children are able to testify in a safe, supportive environment, which makes their accounts more reliable and less influenced by fear.
For prosecutors, this translates into stronger evidence and a greater likelihood of securing convictions in cases of violence against children. In turn, the credibility of the justice system is enhanced, as victims and their families gain confidence that courts can deliver justice without compounding harm.
Meeting Global Commitments
The reforms also reflect Sri Lanka’s international commitments. At the 2024 Bogotá Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, the government pledged to strengthen legal frameworks and protection mechanisms. The establishment of child witness rooms, coupled with moves to outlaw corporal punishment and advance child-centered legislation, is a direct fulfillment of those promises.
By aligning its justice system with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international standards, Sri Lanka demonstrates its determination to protect its youngest citizens in line with global best practices. This alignment not only strengthens children’s rights domestically but also enhances the country’s reputation as a leader in child protection within the region.
International Partnerships and Digital Transformation
The role of international partners is central to this success. The European Union, through its Support to Justice Sector (JURE) project, and UNICEF have provided the technical and financial support to make these reforms possible. EU Ambassador Carmen Moreno underscored the urgency of addressing violence against children, while UNICEF Representative Emma Brigham emphasized the importance of holistic, child-centered systems that integrate justice with welfare.
Equally important is the integration of digital innovations. From video testimony systems to digital case management, technology is being harnessed not just to modernize court infrastructure but to humanize it. This aligns with the government’s broader digital transformation agenda, making justice more efficient, accessible, and compassionate.
Building a Nationwide Network
The launch in Kandy is only the beginning. The Ministry of Justice has announced plans to expand the initiative to 15 more high courts in the first phase, followed by 35 additional judicial institutions nationwide.
Once fully implemented, Sri Lanka will have a national network of child-friendly courts.
This expansion redefines the role of the justice system in the lives of children. Instead of being an intimidating institution, courts will become spaces of protection, dignity, and recovery. It is a cultural shift as much as a legal one, marking a new relationship between the state and its youngest citizens.
A Cultural and Legal Watershed
Sri Lanka’s introduction of child witness rooms and the broader child protection model represents a watershed in its justice system. It is more than a courtroom reform—it is a systemic shift that integrates legal, social, and digital innovations into a child-centered approach.
The positive legal implications are clear: operationalizing child rights, reducing secondary trauma, strengthening prosecutions, and laying the groundwork for specialized courts. Just as importantly, the initiative fulfills international obligations and demonstrates the current government’s commitment to embedding child protection at the heart of governance.
By creating a justice system where children’s voices can be heard without fear, Sri Lanka is setting a new standard for the region. If scaled effectively, these reforms will not only deliver justice but also rebuild trust in state institutions ensuring that the country’s youngest citizens grow up in a society that values their dignity, safety, and rights above all else.
IMF Presses Sri Lanka on Power Tariffs and Renewable Shift
Sri Lanka’s power sector has once again come under scrutiny, this time in the presence of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), lawmakers, and key regulatory officials. At a closed-door session in Parliament earlier this week, IMF technical experts and legislators debated the Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) electricity tariff methodology and the broader energy reform agenda. The review is part of commitments tied to the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF), with a critical deadline looming in November 2025.
While the meeting was framed as a “technical review,” several Sri Lankan participants pushed back, insisting tariff reforms must strike a balance—ensuring cost recovery and efficiency while keeping electricity affordable for households and industries already reeling from economic strain.
The IMF team, led by energy specialist Delphine Prady, engaged with members of the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF), Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure, and senior officials from the Finance and Energy ministries, the CEB, and the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL).
At the heart of the discussion was the clash between fiscal discipline and social protection. IMF officials highlighted that cost recovery is essential—without it, the sector accumulates losses, drives inefficiency, and fails to attract investment or credit lines needed for modernisation. Cost-reflective pricing, they argued, ensures consumers pay the real cost of their demand, eliminating unfair cross-subsidies that have long distorted Sri Lanka’s electricity market.
But MPs warned that steep tariff hikes, if not carefully designed, could push vulnerable families and small businesses into crisis. “We cannot afford to treat this as a purely mathematical exercise,” one government member said, adding that tariff policy must be tied to wider social and developmental goals.
The country’s commitment to 70% renewable energy by 2030 dominated much of the debate. Experts underscored that reaching this target will require billions in investment, new transmission infrastructure, and incentives for private sector participation. Expanding solar, wind, and hydro, while experimenting with storage systems and green hydrogen, was identified as the only path to insulating Sri Lanka from the volatility of fossil fuel markets.
Thermal generation, once the backbone of the grid, was described by participants as “super expensive” and dangerously exposed to global price shocks. Renewables, by contrast, are becoming more competitive but demand upfront financing that cash-strapped institutions like the CEB struggle to mobilise.
Another thorny issue was data integrity and governance. Lawmakers flagged gaps in Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), incomplete cost breakdowns, and weak information systems. Without credible data and regulatory independence, experts cautioned, any new tariff methodology risks being undermined by corruption and mismanagement.
There was consensus that tariff reform must go beyond technical fixes. A successful framework must safeguard vulnerable households through targeted subsidies, protect workers affected by restructuring, and ensure efficiency gains translate into lower costs for end-users.
As the November 2025 IMF deadline approaches, Sri Lanka faces a difficult balancing act: building a financially viable power sector, accelerating its renewable transition, and protecting consumers from the shocks of reform. The stakes, as one participant noted, are nothing less than the country’s economic and energy future.
Sri Lanka’s 2026 Budget Faces Test of Tax Reform and Debt Control
Sri Lanka is preparing to present its 2026 Budget under the theme of “Achieving a Productive Economy and Fostering the Engagement of Everyone in Economic Development.” Yet behind the hopeful message lies the hard truth of rising debt repayments, IMF programme conditions, and a fragile fiscal base that will force the government toward higher taxation and new levies.
The 2026 Appropriation Bill, approved by Cabinet and gazetted on September 20, is due for its first reading in Parliament on September 26, with the Budget Speech scheduled for early November. According to Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, ministries and provincial councils have been told to submit spending plans within strict fiscal limits, prioritising arrears settlement, the revival of stalled infrastructure, public transport upgrades, and digitalisation.
But financing these goals requires a sharper revenue drive. The IMF has repeatedly urged Colombo to broaden its tax base and reduce reliance on indirect taxes. “Sri Lanka cannot achieve debt sustainability without decisive tax reform,” a senior IMF mission official told local media recently, stressing the need for more progressive taxation.
For 2026, the government is drafting a restructured capital gains tax aimed at high-net-worth individuals, while reviving proposals to tax imputed rental income on owner-occupied and vacant properties. Certain tax exemptions for export-oriented services may also be trimmed. Value Added Tax (VAT) will expand to cover digital services supplied by foreign firms from April 2026, while higher corporate taxes are likely for liquor, tobacco, and gaming.
Economist Dr. Nishan de Mel of Verité Research noted that the government has little room for maneuver: “To raise the tax-to-GDP ratio to 14–15 percent by 2026, as agreed with the IMF, revenues must grow to Rs. 5,500–6,000 billion. Without widening the net to include wealth and property taxes, this will fall disproportionately on households through indirect levies.”
The Appropriation Bill sets total expenditure for 2026 at Rs. 4.54 trillion, up from Rs. 4.22 trillion this year, though the borrowing ceiling has been cut from Rs. 4 trillion to Rs. 3.8 trillion. Health and education receive significant boosts: the Ministry of Health’s recurrent budget rises to Rs. 449 billion from Rs. 412 billion, while education allocations climb to Rs. 231 billion from Rs. 206 billion. Defence spending remains steady, with Rs. 60 billion earmarked for capital projects, while transport and highways see capital allocations fall to Rs. 390 billion from Rs. 421 billion in 2025.
Despite the effort to tilt the balance toward direct taxes, analysts caution that indirect taxation will remain dominant. “When more than 80 percent of state revenue comes from indirect sources, it is the poor and middle classes who carry the heaviest burden,” warned senior tax expert and former Inland Revenue official Kalyani Dahanayake. “Unless wealth taxes and property-based levies are effectively implemented, inequality will deepen.”
The risks are clear. Expanding consumption taxes could stoke inflation, while politically sensitive measures like taxing property and capital gains may face stiff resistance from vested interests. Yet without them, the fiscal deficit could widen again, undermining recovery efforts.
Ultimately, Budget 2026 will be more than a spending plan it will be a test of Sri Lanka’s resolve to restructure its tax system, stabilize its economy, and meet IMF targets. As one Colombo-based investment analyst put it, “This Budget will show whether the government can push through reforms that shift the tax burden onto those best able to pay or whether it will buckle under political pressure and return to old patterns of borrowing and austerity.”
Sri Lanka to Host First-Ever Global Gem Dialogue in 2025
Sri Lanka’s centuries-old gem trade, long celebrated for its dazzling treasures and enduring craftsmanship, is preparing to step into the global spotlight like never before. The country will host Ceylon Gemlogue 2025, the first-of-its-kind international gem dialogue forum, on September 28 at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo.
Presented by Ceylon Gem Chronicles and endorsed by leading industry associations including the Ceylon Gem & Jewellery Traders Association (CGJTA), GemSriLanka, and the Lanka Gem Dealers and Miners Association the event is billed as the “TED Talk of the gem world.”
Organizers say it will blend storytelling, live demonstrations, and thought leadership, positioning Sri Lanka not only as a source of precious stones but as a global hub of knowledge and innovation in the gem trade.
“This is a rare and inspiring moment for the industry,” said Dumindu Katuwala, Founder of Ceylon Gem Chronicles and Convener of Ceylon Gemlogue 2025. “No industry is without challenges, but by coming together, we can make Sri Lanka shine brighter on the world stage.”
The forum has attracted heavyweight sponsors such as Manjari, Wijaya Gems, and Maera Jewellery, who share the vision of safeguarding Sri Lanka’s cultural gem legacy while equipping the trade with a modern global outlook.
Among the event’s star attractions is Justin K. Prim, a master gem cutter from France who has trained under Sri Lankan experts.
He will perform a live demonstration using the Banku Pattaley, the island’s centuries-old manual gem-cutting lathe, underscoring how local craftsmanship continues to shape global gemology. “Even my mentor was a Sri Lankan cutter,” Prim noted, adding that his session would pay homage to tradition while offering a masterclass in artistry.
The forum’s agenda also highlights cutting-edge discussions on innovation and entrepreneurship. Qadheer Rawoof, Co-Founder of Gemelry, will present on digital transformation in the gem industry, while Samitha Liyanage, President of the Gemmologists’ Association of Sri Lanka, will lead a session on “The Inner World of Gems.”
Other notable contributions include Mubashir Mansoor, a Turkish physicist and gemologist, on the science of gem heating, and Dilith Jayaweera, Chairman of George Steuart & Co., who will speak on resilience in entrepreneurship.
Adding a policymaking dimension, the forum will host a high-profile panel discussion featuring Dr. Harsha de Silva, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance, alongside Dr. Samantha Gunasekara, veteran gemmologist and current Chairman of MEPA, and other industry leaders representing Rathnapura, CGJTA, and FACETS. The panel will examine regulatory, trade, and investment challenges facing the sector.
At its core, Ceylon Gemlogue 2025 is more than just an exhibition; it is a narrative designed to strengthen Sri Lanka’s global positioning as a trusted gem hub. Organizers say it will help expand international trade, encourage investment, and support education and scientific innovation while preserving the cultural legacy that has made “Ceylon gems” world-renowned for centuries.
With global experts, local artisans, and policymakers converging under one roof, the event promises not only to celebrate the island’s rich gem heritage but also to chart a forward-looking path for its future. As anticipation builds, Sri Lanka’s gem industry is preparing to remind the world that its treasures are not just stones, but stories of resilience, artistry, and tradition that shine across generations.
Export Development Board Gears up Digital Exports with German Aid
Sri Lanka’s push to establish itself as a hub for digital products and services is gathering momentum through fresh support from Germany, but questions over new tax policies and institutional credibility threaten to undercut the opportunity.
The Export Development Board (EDB) is set to sign a cooperation agreement with Germany’s Import Promotion Desk (IPD), widening a partnership that has already helped exporters of natural ingredients and processed foods secure valuable contracts in Europe.
The deal, announced during a visit to Colombo by IPD Head Julia Bellinghausen earlier this month, promises to link Sri Lankan digital SMEs directly with European buyers through B2B matchmaking, sourcing missions and trade fair participation.
Stefan Schutze Tobar, IPD’s sector lead for digital products, toured local IT firms to assess their export potential and identify those suitable for inclusion in IPD’s buyer programmes.
EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe described the agreement as an expansion of earlier successes in natural ingredients, saying it would bring institutional know-how and compliance training to local companies, while giving them access to sustainable market entry opportunities in the European Union.
This partnership comes at a time when the country’s export earnings are surging. In 2024, Sri Lanka posted a record US$16.17 billion in exports, a 7 percent increase from the previous year.
Services exports, including ICT and business process management, contributed US$3.46 billion, growing more than 8 percent year-on-year.
Momentum has continued into 2025, with total exports in the first seven months reaching nearly US$10 billion, up almost 8 percent over the same period in 2024. Services brought in more than US$2.1 billion, reflecting nearly 10 percent growth.
These figures underline the increasing importance of the services sector as a generator of foreign exchange.
Yet even as exports grow, the sector faces turbulence from the government’s fiscal agenda. The NPP administration has signaled plans to tax foreign income, including service exports, at a rate of 15 percent.
This has alarmed freelancers and small digital firms, who warn that such measures could stifle competitiveness, erode margins and drive talent overseas.
At the same time, legislation has already introduced an 18 percent value-added tax on digital services provided by non-resident companies to Sri Lankan consumers. Initially due to take effect in October 2025, the VAT has now been postponed to April 2026 after industry pushback, underscoring the tension between revenue needs and market realities.
Critics argue that while new taxes may widen the government’s income base, they risk undermining a sector that is one of Sri Lanka’s fastest-growing earners. Others point to longstanding accusations of cronyism within the EDB, warning that unless reforms ensure fair and transparent access to export promotion initiatives, the benefits of international partnerships may be captured by a narrow circle of insiders.
Sri Lanka now stands at a crossroads: the German partnership offers a rare chance to embed local digital SMEs in lucrative European markets, but the success of this initiative will depend on whether domestic policies nurture or hinder that growth.Without predictable taxation, transparent institutions, and genuine support for small and medium exporters, the country risks losing momentum just as its digital economy is beginning to take flight
Sri Lanka’s Third Nano-Satellite ‘BIRDS-X Dragonfly’ Successfully Deployed into Orbit
Sri Lanka’s third nano-satellite, developed in collaboration with the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), Japan, and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies (ACCIMT), Sri Lanka, was successfully deployed into orbit at 2:20 p.m. yesterday (19).
The research satellite, named BIRDS-X Dragonfly, will conduct three key space research missions. Notably, the ACCIMT confirmed that the project comes at no cost to Sri Lanka, as it was funded by the Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), with launch and deployment facilitated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The initiative was originally conceived by former ACCIMT Director-General Eng. (Dr.) Sanath Panawennage as part of a Kyutech–ACCIMT collaboration. The project was supported by several international partners in recognition of Sri Lanka’s strategic and technical contributions.
BIRDS-X Dragonfly was carried to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the SpaceX-33 rocket, launched by NASA on August 24. Its successful deployment marks another milestone in Sri Lanka’s journey in space technology development.
This is Sri Lanka’s third nanosatellite contribution:
- Ravana-1 (2019) – Developed through an ACCIMT–Kyutech collaboration.
- Kitsune (2022) – Launched under a five-party international venture coordinated by Kyutech, with ACCIMT as a key partner.
- BIRDS-X Dragonfly (2025) – Now deployed, advancing experimental communications technology.
Main Missions of BIRDS-X Dragonfly:
- In-orbit testing of a new communication sub-system: Trialling a low-cost UHF transceiver built from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components for future nanosatellite missions.
- APRS Digipeater: Relaying Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) messages, enabling global amateur radio operators to experiment with satellite-based communication.
- Store-and-Forward Communication: Demonstrating data relay capability, allowing user messages to be uploaded, stored, and later downlinked across regions.
The ACCIMT described the launch as an effort to “bring diversity to the space sector and democratize space usage,” underscoring Sri Lanka’s growing role in international space research.
S&P Upgrades Sri Lanka’s Credit Rating to ‘CCC+/C’ Citing Economic Recovery and Reform Progress
S&P Global Ratings has upgraded Sri Lanka’s foreign currency sovereign credit rating to ‘CCC+/C’ from ‘SD/SD’ (Selective Default), reflecting improved macroeconomic stability, progress under the IMF programme, and the Government’s continued commitment to fiscal and debt management reforms.
The long-term foreign currency rating was raised from ‘SD’ to ‘CCC+’ with a stable outlook, signalling cautious optimism over Sri Lanka’s medium-term ability to meet its debt obligations. This marks the first ratings upgrade since Sri Lanka’s default on external debt in 2022.
According to S&P, Sri Lanka has made meaningful strides in stabilising the economy, completing four IMF reviews and unlocking US$ 1.7 billion in funding. While acknowledging delays in some targets, the agency noted the continuation of politically challenging reforms, including in taxation, energy pricing, and governance.
“Sri Lanka’s economy has recovered steadily from its 2022 economic crisis, with some macroeconomic indicators already surpassing pre-crisis levels. However, its debt burden remains high even after the restructuring of most of its external debt,” S&P said.
The upgrade also reflects Sri Lanka’s progress in completing the restructuring of its remaining commercial debt, including SriLankan Airlines bonds, following the December 2024 exchange of most Eurobonds. While recognising the risk of holdout creditors, S&P said it did not expect this to derail the restructuring process.
S&P highlighted key factors supporting the rating:
- Strong economic recovery and rapid fiscal consolidation.
- Reform momentum under the IMF programme.
- Accumulation of foreign reserves and improved external position.
- Efforts to reduce risks from state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
These positives are tempered by Sri Lanka’s heavy debt burden, particularly as domestic commercial debt was excluded from the restructuring. The country also faces an interest burden of about 50% of government revenue, with external debt servicing pressures expected to rise from 2029 onward.
The stable outlook reflects a balance between expectations of continued recovery and reform progress against the risks posed by high debt levels and fiscal vulnerabilities.