Sri Lanka’s private sector trade body is in negotiations with Indonesian officials on a preferential trade agreement, which it hopes would increase exports to the Southeast Asian archipelago.
Sri Lanka has published a free trade agreement with Thailand which was negotiated with the aim of getting access for exporters up 85 percent of tariff liberalized over 15 years.
Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers have approved the starting of relevant negotiations for a free trade agreement with Malaysia, minister Bandula Gunawardena said.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe have discussed a free trade agreement, a ferry service, an agricultural modernization program, and encouraging private investment opportunities.
As debt pressures rise, South Asia's economic strategies are increasingly revolving around FTAs. The frenzy, however, is not only reshaping the region's trade dynamics, but also a wide array of national legal frameworks, from labour rights to agriculture policies.
Sri Lanka has begun implementing a free trade agreement with Singapore as part of efforts to improve market access, diversify market and draw investments, the island’s top trade negotiator said.
Sri Lanka has expressed its intent to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by lodging a letter of intent and engaging in discussions with member states in Jakarta. While Sri Lanka's application is currently awaiting the development of an admission mechanism for new members, the country is actively pursuing membership in the world's largest trade bloc to expand market access.