The government has signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank to receive US$200 million in financing for its Trade, Investment and Industry Development Programme, with additional funds provided due to regional economic uncertainties.
Sri Lanka has secured a US$200 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support the country's Trade, Investment and Industry Development Programme, according to an agreement signed on 18 December at the Treasury in Colombo. The deal was finalized between Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and Shannon Cowlin, Country Director of the ADB Sri Lanka Resident Mission.
The financing is being provided through the ADB's Policy-Based Lending facility to support the implementation of the programme's first subprogram. The Ministry of Finance stated that the loan will provide budgetary support to the government while strengthening policies aimed at improving trade, investment and industrial development. The initiative aligns with Sri Lanka's National Policy Framework 2025, which prioritizes building a resilient, inclusive and sustainable economy.
The initial programme approval included US$100 million in financing. However, the ADB agreed to provide an additional US$100 million in supplementary funding, bringing total financing for Subprogram 1 to US$200 million. According to the Ministry of Finance, this increase was driven by heightened economic uncertainty stemming from the ongoing Middle East crisis and climate-related shocks affecting the region.
The overall programme consists of two subprogrammes, with Subprogram 1 receiving the full US$200 million and Subprogram 2 allocated indicative financing of US$100 million for implementation in 2028. Trade and investment have been identified as key government priorities under the Major Public Investment Projects 2026–2028 framework.
