Business in Sri Lanka

EENI- School of International Business

Subject: Doing Business in Sri Lanka. Colombo. Syllabus:

  1. Introduction to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Asia)
  2. Doing Business in Colombo
  3. The Sri Lankan Economy
  4. International Trade of Sri Lanka
  5. Trade Relations Sri Lanka-India
  6. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Sri Lanka
  7. Case Study: Sri Lankan companies
    1. Brandix Lanka
    2. Sri Lanka Telecom
  8. Access to the Sri Lankan Market
  9. Business Plan for Sri Lanka

The objectives of the subject “Foreign Trade and Doing Business in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka” are the following:

  1. To analyse the Sri Lankan economy and foreign trade
  2. To evaluate the business opportunities in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
  3. To explore Sri Lanka's trade relations with the student's country
  4. To know Sri Lanka's Free Trade Agreements
  5. To examine the profile of Sri Lankan Companies
  6. To develop a business plan for the Sri Lankan Market
The subject “Doing Business in Sri Lanka” is studied...
  1. Masters (e-learning): International Business, Asia
  2. Doctorate in Business in Asia

Doctorate and Master in International Business for Sri Lankan students.

Course learning materials in English (Spanish Sri Lanka French Sri Lanka)

  1. Credits of the subject “Foreign Trade and Doing Business in Sri Lanka”: 2 ECTS Credits
  2. Duration: two weeks

Sri Lanka Business

Description of the Subject: Foreign Trade and Business in Sri Lanka.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon before 1972) is located in South Asia, about thirty-one kilometres off the Southern coast of India.

  1. The population of Sri Lanka: 21 million people
  2. Sri Lanka is in the 102 position out of 182 countries in the Human Development Indicators, ahead of Argentina (105), Vietnam (116th), Indonesia (111), India (134), Pakistan (141), and Bangladesh (146)
  3. Sinhalese, the majority community, constitute 74% of the population
  4. The two official languages of Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil
  5. The capital of Sri Lanka: Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte
  6. The main city: Colombo
  7. Area: 65,610 square kilometres
  8. Sri Lanka is a Parliamentary Republic
  9. Independence from the United Kingdom: 1948
  10. Sri Lankan currency: Sri Lanka Rupee

Religions in Sri Lanka:

  1. Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation
  2. 70% of the Sri Lankans belongs to Theravada Buddhism
  3. Sri Lanka has been a centre of the Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times
  4. Hinduism: 15% of the population
  5. Catholic Christians (1.2 million)

Sri Lanka belongs to the Economic Area of the Buddhist Civilisation

The Sri Lankan Economy.

  1. The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has a strategic location in Southern Asia, in the centre of one of the principal marine routes between Europe and the Far East: The Indian Ocean
  2. Sri Lanka has a relatively modern industrial economy and one of the highest levels of per capita income in the region of South Asia
  3. Sri Lanka has positioned as regional logistics centre and international trade hub
  4. Sri Lanka has the highest per capita revenue in South Asia region
  5. The service sector of Sri Lanka generates 60% of the gross domestic product
  6. The main sectors of the Sri Lankan economy: telecommunications, trade, logistics and transport, and financial services
  7. Brandix is the leading import producer of apparel in Sri Lanka
  8. Sri Lanka Telecom is one of most valuable blue chip companies in Sri Lanka

International Trade of Sri Lanka.

  1. Sri Lanka is known worldwide for the export of tea, coffee, coconuts, and rubber
  2. The vision of President Rajapaksa (Mahinda Chintana) wishes to open the economy to globalisation process, attracting foreign direct investment and establishing Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with strategic partners
  3. The exports of Sri Lanka: 7 billion dollars
  4. Top Sri Lankan exports products are garments, tea, rubber products, coffee, jewellery and gems, refined petroleum, and coconuts
  5. Top Sri Lankan export markets are the United States, the United Kingdom, and India
  6. Imports of Sri Lanka: 9.6 billion
  7. The largest suppliers of Sri Lanka are India, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Iran, Malaysia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the Union of Arab Emirates, Belgium, Indonesia, South Korea, and the United States

The Free trade zones in Sri Lanka are one of the pillars of economic development and source of foreign direct investment (FDI).

  1. Malaysia is the largest investor (55 million dollars)
  2. Other notable investors in Sri Lanka are the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Hong Kong
  3. 50% of all Indian investments in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries are invested in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has preferential access to several markets:

  1. India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
  2. Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
  3. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
  4. South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC)
  5. Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA)
  6. Bay of Bengal Initiative (BIMSTEC)
  7. Indian-Ocean Rim Association (IORA)
  8. Asian Clearing Union (ACU)

Sample of the subject - Doing Business in Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka Trade

Regional Economic Institutions of Sri Lanka.

  1. Boao Forum for Asia
  2. Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD)
  3. Asia-Middle East Dialogue (AMED)
  4. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
  5. Asian Development Bank (ADB)
  6. Colombo Plan
  7. United Nations (UN),
  8. Commonwealth
  9. World Bank (WB)
  10. International Monetary Fund (IMF)

❮ Samples - Business in Sri Lanka ❯

Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement APTA

South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC)

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

Asian Clearing Union (ACU)

Bay of Bengal Initiative Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)

India-Sri Lanka FTA

Indian-Ocean Rim Association IORA



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