Business · Sri Lanka Bureau
Sri Lanka should prioritise India trade agreement, says Ranil
Former president Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged the government to conclude negotiations on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement with India before pursuing other bilateral trade deals.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
Wickremesinghe has emphasized the importance of finalizing the ETCA with India as a priority for Sri Lanka's trade strategy, arguing that the agreement should be completed ahead of other pending trade negotiations.
The Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement between Colombo and New Delhi has been under discussion for several years, with multiple rounds of talks aimed at deepening bilateral trade and economic ties between the two nations.
Wickremesinghe's position reflects broader concerns within Sri Lanka's policy circles about sequencing trade agreements strategically, particularly given India's significant role in the island nation's economy and regional geopolitical importance.
The remarks come as Sri Lanka continues to navigate multiple trade negotiations with various partners while managing broader economic challenges and rebuilding efforts. Officials have previously indicated that concluding high-level agreements with major trading partners remains central to the country's economic recovery strategy.
Photo: Ranil Wickremesinghe (centre right), then Sri Lankan President, during a meeting with then Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in Malé, November 2023. The President's Office, Maldives via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).