Officials have begun discussions on modernizing Sri Lanka Post, with plans to expand e-commerce and parcel delivery services while addressing declining traditional postal operations.
A preliminary meeting on the modernization of Sri Lanka Post took place at the Presidential Secretariat, bringing together the Secretary to the President and Department of Posts officials to chart the organization's future direction. The discussion was initiated following directives from President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during budget consultations in July 2026, according to the President's Media Division.
The Postmaster General outlined the department's current operations across three sectors: financial services developed through partnerships with banking and insurance firms, conventional postal services, and parcel delivery. He emphasized that parcel delivery represents a significant growth opportunity, with the department currently capturing only 10-15% of the available market. Officials indicated that rapid expansion in this area is feasible given market conditions.
The modernization agenda extends beyond service expansion. The Postmaster General highlighted the need for organizational reforms, including enhanced business decision-making processes and improved compensation for staff in revenue-generating divisions. A study is underway with the Treasury to examine these reform measures.
Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake noted that global postal services have successfully adapted to technological and economic shifts. He observed that while traditional mail services continue declining worldwide, emerging opportunities in e-commerce and digital parcel delivery exceed the losses from conventional operations. Officials stressed the necessity to restructure the department's workforce and infrastructure to capitalize on these new business areas and to leverage digitalization for expanding both domestic and international trade.
