Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunneththi has promised overseas Sri Lankans that the country will be transformed into a nation offering freedom, equality, and opportunities comparable to Australia, speaking at a business event in Melbourne.

Minister Sunil Handunneththi addressed Sri Lankan entrepreneurs gathered in Melbourne on Monday, outlining an ambitious vision for his country's future development. Speaking at the Sri Lankan Entrepreneurs' Night 2026, organized by the Australia Sri Lanka Business Forum, he sought to encourage diaspora participation in Sri Lanka's economic transformation.

Handunneththi acknowledged the reasons many Sri Lankans have relocated to Australia, citing education, business opportunities, and the pursuit of freedom and independence. He used this recognition to frame his appeal, stating that recent electoral support—he referenced 18 million voters—provided a mandate to reshape the nation. The Minister promised that within a relatively short timeframe, Sri Lanka would develop into a country where future generations could live and study with constitutional protections and equal legal standing.

Central to his message was the role of overseas entrepreneurs and investors in establishing a production-based economy capable of addressing Sri Lanka's existing difficulties. Handunneththi claimed that a new economic framework has already been established, characterized by reduced corruption, investor-friendly policies, and greater transparency. He called on Sri Lankan business leaders in the diaspora to lead efforts in industrial and technological development.

The event, held at The Grandeur in Melbourne, attracted senior officials including Sri Lanka's Consul General in Melbourne, representatives from Australia's federal parliament, and heads of Sri Lanka's Export Development Board and Board of Investment. The gathering underscored efforts to strengthen business ties between the two nations and mobilize diaspora capital for domestic development.