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  1. Negotiations

Sri Lanka


Sri Lanka has preferential and free trade agreements with India, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Singapore and Israel. It is currently in the processing of upgrading its agreement with India to a much more comprehensive one.

Sri Lanka is also party to SAFTA, the agreement on a South Asia Free Trade Area, as well as BIMSTEC, which aims to hammer out a regional FTA.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Sri Lankan engineers' association

See also
FTA with Singapore detrimental to Sri Lanka: JO
9-May-2018     Daily Mirror
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed with Singapore is detrimental to the country because it would allow the flowing in of cheap labour from countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the joint opposition said today.
Sri Lanka Thailand to begin talks on FTA from May
7-May-2018     Economic Next
Sri Lanka and Thailand will begin talks on setting broad parameters for a free trade deal from May 2018, officials said.
Sri Lanka to "redouble" efforts on China, India free trade deals
28-Mar-2018     Bloomberg
Sri Lanka will “redouble” efforts to strike a free trade deal with China and conclude and expanded trade pact with India as part of the island nation’s strategy of becoming an Indian Ocean hub for investors and multinationals, the country’s top diplomat says.
Suspend Indo-Sri Lanka Economic and Technology Co-operation Agreement (ETCA) talks: PNF tells President of Sri Lanka
21-Feb-2018     Mirror Citizen
Professionals’ National Front (PNF), a collective of professional organizations, yesterday requested President Maithripala Sirisena to suspend talks on the Indo-Sri Lanka Economic and Technology Co-operation Agreement (ETCA) scheduled for February 21 in New Delhi.
Sri Lanka seeks deeper ties, free trade agreement with China
12-Feb-2018     Modern Diplomacy
Sri Lanka wants a longer-time period to negotiate a free trade agreement with China as it is concerned about the economic impact of a rushed deal on their small country, the Sri Lankan ambassador said.
SL-S’pore FTA sparks investment interest among NZ firms
9-Feb-2018     Mirror Business
The recently signed Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement has been able to create a lot of enthusiasm among New Zealand companies operating in Singapore.
Sri Lanka eyeing longer talks with China on FTA
5-Feb-2018     Reuters
Sri Lanka wants a longer-time period to negotiate a free trade agreement with China as it is concerned about the economic impact of a rushed deal on their small country, the Sri Lankan ambassador said on Sunday.
Mode 4 not opened in FTA Singapore rejects SL request
31-Jan-2018     Ceylon Today
The Singapore government has rejected a request from the Sri Lankan government for the movement of natural person (mode 4) be completely opened under the Free Trade Agreement.
Sri Lanka-Singapore FTA comes with govt’s ‘Look East’ policy: What does it mean?
29-Jan-2018     Daily Mirror
So what does the government mean by ‘Looking East?’ Is it simply a buzz-word thrown in for good measure, in the process of marketing the Singapore FTA to the public? Does it point to some confusion at a policy level? Or is it terminology advised by external forces guiding policy?
Sri Lanka eyes FTA with Indonesia, in continued engagement with ASEAN
25-Jan-2018     Economic Next
Sri Lanka and Indonesia had agreed to study a free trade agreement during a state visit of President Joko Widodo to Colombo.