News and insights
21 March 2026
โจ Eid Mubarak! ๐
โจ Eid Mubarak! ๐ Wishing you and your loved ones peace, joy, and prosperity on this blessed occasion.
19 March 2026
We are pleased to partner with the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) as a Premier Silver Partner.
We are pleased to partner with the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) as a Premier Silver Partner. This partnership reflects our continued focus on supporting cross-border trade and investment, and strengthening commercial linkages between Germany and SriLanka. We look forward to working closely with AHK and its members to facilitate meaningful investment flows and strategic opportunities in the Sri Lankan market.
05 March 2026
Expert panel diagnoses why SL misses FDI
Expert panel diagnoses why SL misses FDI Thursday, 5 March 2026 05:35 - - 146 Aditya Birla Groupโs $ 50 b investment portfolio manager Sarath Sathkumara says recent analysis shows only five of top 25 companies consistently made returns above cost of capital Says private sector needs to be more attractive because tax incentives not a differentiator for FDI Deloitte Sri Lanka and Maldives Head of Financial Advisory Ruvini Fernando says Sri Lanka needs entire ecosystem, not just tax incentives, for FDI Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chief Economic Policy Adviser Shiran Fernando flags lack of instructional, professional capacity to negotiate FTAs QZ&WD (Jiangxi) Partner Mengni Romanee Luo says Chinaโs evolving investment strategy could create opportunities for Sri Lanka, Chinese companies have high regard for Sri Lanka Amundsen Davis (USA) Partner Ngosong Fonkem says smaller economies with stable legal systems and competitive labour markets can create opportunities to become intermediate production hubs Event by Sudath Perera Associates brings together legal, economic and finance experts from India, China and US to discuss global trade risks and opportunities Sri Lankaโs weak foreign direct investment (FDI) performance reflects not only policy shortcomings but also the failure of parts of the private sector to generate competitive returns, according to Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd., Chief Investment Officer โ International Sarath Sathkumara, who oversees a $ 50 billion investment portfolio. Speaking at a symposium titled โTrade in turbulent times: Geopolitical challenges and opportunities from Sri Lankaโs perspective,โ organised in Colombo on Tuesday by law firm Sudath Perera Associates, Sathkumara said Sri Lankaโs corporate sector must accept part of the responsibility for the countryโs limited success in attracting sustained international investment. โAfter reviewing the top 25 companies, we found that only about five Sri Lankan firms were consistently generating returns above their cost of capital,โ he said. โIn fact, only those few companies were truly attractive from an investment standpoint. Many other companies have not delivered meaningful returns to shareholders for nearly two decades.โ Unless businesses generate returns above their cost of capital, international investors will deploy funds elsewhere, he said. โOne thing I often hear when people discuss Sri Lankaโs economic future is the need for tax breaks. But tax incentives are not a differentiator. Every country offers them. They do not make an economy competitive,โ he said. โWhat really matters is responsibility, discipline, and performance. In that respect, Sri Lankaโs private sector must also accept part of the responsibility for where the country is today.โ Despite economic stabilisation efforts following the 2022 sovereign default, Sri Lanka continues to attract modest levels of foreign investment. Annual inflows remain just over $ 1 billion, roughly 1% of GDP. This is significantly below the 3% to 4% of GDP commonly seen in competing emerging economies. The combination of post-default credit ratings, structural policy weaknesses, and weak corporate returns has prevented Sri Lanka from converting its strategic location and skilled workforce into sustained capital inflows. Drawing comparisons with Indiaโs 1991 balance-of-payments crisis, Sathkumara said structural reforms can eventually transform an economy but require sustained discipline from both policymakers and businesses. He noted that smaller economies now face greater competition for investment because large markets such as India benefit from scale advantages in labour, energy, and technology. Sri Lanka should therefore focus on sectors where it has clear comparative advantages. Tourism represents one such opportunity, particularly given the scale of Indiaโs outbound travel market. โIndia has a population of 1.4 billion people. If even a small percentage travels abroad, the potential market is enormous. Sri Lanka should actively attract visitors from Indiaโs major cities,โ Sathkumara said. Manufacturing partnerships linked to Indiaโs industrial hubs, particularly around Chennai, could also allow Sri Lankan companies to integrate into regional supply chains. Technology services represent another area of potential growth given Sri Lankaโs skilled workforce and proximity to Indiaโs expanding IT sector. However, Sathkumara said stronger connectivity will be essential if Sri Lanka is to capture these opportunities. โOne major weakness is the airline sector. What the country needs is a strong and financially healthy airline capable of connecting Sri Lanka with multiple cities across India,โ he said. Deloitte Sri Lanka and Maldives Head of Financial Advisory Ruvini Fernando said Sri Lankaโs modest FDI performance also reflects deeper structural constraints. FDI inflows reached just over $ 1 billion in 2025. While that represents an improvement compared with earlier years, it remains modest relative to competing economies. โIn many emerging markets, FDI amounts to around 3% to 4% of GDP. In Sri Lanka, the figure remains closer to 1%,โ she said. For a small economy, she noted, investment aimed primarily at serving the domestic market is unlikely to generate sustained growth. โInvestors must come to Sri Lanka not simply to sell into the local market but to produce and export.โ While Sri Lanka has introduced incentives across sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and services, Fernando said incentives alone rarely determine investment decisions. โTax incentives by themselves are not enough. A whole ecosystem must function effectively.โ Among the factors most frequently cited by investors are the availability of skilled labour, access to industrial land, efficient logistics, and streamlined trade procedures. Export-oriented industries also depend heavily on imported inputs, making trade policy and free trade agreements (FTAs) central to investment decisions. โFTAs allow firms not only to sell to export markets but also to import raw materials and intermediate goods at competitive costs,โ Fernando said. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chief Economic Policy Adviser Shiran Fernando said Sri Lanka must also strengthen its trade policy framework if it is to respond effectively to a changing global environment. After emerging from the economic crisis, the country has faced additional external shocks, including tariff changes and geopolitical tensions affecting global trade. โThese shocks highlight how exposed smaller economies are to global disruptions,โ he said. Sri Lankaโs export base remains concentrated in a limited number of markets, leaving exporters vulnerable when policy changes occur in major economies. Diversifying export markets and strengthening trade partnerships will therefore be critical. Although Sri Lanka entered trade agreements earlier than some Southeast Asian economies, countries such as Thailand and Vietnam expanded their networks significantly over the past two decades while Sri Lankaโs progress slowed. Fernando also emphasised the need to build stronger institutional capacity to negotiate and manage trade agreements. โSuccessful trade negotiations are conducted by specialised teams supported by technical expertise and research,โ he said. โIn Sri Lanka, trade agreements have often been handled in a less structured way.โ Global trade tensions are also reshaping supply chains, creating potential opportunities for smaller economies. Amundsen Davis LLC Partner Ngosong Fonkem said tariffs and geopolitical disputes between major economies have forced multinational firms to restructure production networks. Companies are increasingly relocating parts of their manufacturing operations to alternative countries in order to reduce exposure to trade restrictions. โFor smaller economies with stable legal systems and competitive labour markets, these shifts can create opportunities to become intermediate production hubs,โ he said. QZ&WD (Jiangxi) Law Firm Partner Mengni Romanee Luo said Chinaโs evolving investment strategy could also create opportunities for Sri Lanka. Chinaโs outbound investment reached approximately $ 174 billion in 2025, reflecting continued engagement with global markets despite geopolitical uncertainty. China is diversifying trade partnerships, expanding regional agreements, and further opening its manufacturing sector to foreign investment. Although Sri Lanka is not part of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Luo said regional supply chains linked to Chinese companies could still generate opportunities through partnerships with Sri Lankan firms. โCompanies Iโve spoken to in China say they would love to do business with Sri Lanka,โ she said, stressing the countryโs reputation for professionalism and trustworthiness was favourable with corporate China. Sri Lankaโs strategic location along major maritime trade routes also positions the country as a potential hub for logistics, manufacturing, and services connected to regional trade flows. Opening the event, Sudath Perera Associates Founding Partner Sudath Perera said the discussion was taking place at a time when the global economy is undergoing rapid change. โWe are meeting at a time of considerable turbulence in the global economy,โ he said. โThe international landscape is shifting quickly, rules are evolving and risks are increasingly interconnected. Decisions taken in Colombo today are influenced more than ever by developments across global markets.โ However, he said such periods of uncertainty can also create opportunities. โThis evening is not only about uncertainty. It is also about perspective and possibility,โ Perera said. Countries and businesses that are credible, adaptable, and forward-looking can benefit from global shifts in trade and investment patterns, he added. For Sri Lanka to do so, he said, the country must present itself as a reliable and competitive destination for international business through consistent policies, strong institutions, and deeper engagement with global markets. - Pix by Sameera Wijesinghe
27 February 2026
๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฆ is pleased to be organising an exclusive forum & networking event on ‘๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ง๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ๐: ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ข๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฆ๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ๐ฎโ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ’ on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, in Colombo.
๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฆ is pleased to be organising an exclusive forum & networking event on '๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ง๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ๐: ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ข๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฆ๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ๐ฎโ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ' on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, in Colombo. Against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions, evolving tariff regimes, sanctions frameworks, and shifting global supply chains, this forum will examine the practical implications for Sri Lankan businesses, and the opportunities that may emerge amid volatility. We are privileged to feature presentations by: โข Ngosong Fonkem, Partner, Amundsen Davis LLC (USA) โ ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ โข Romanee Luo, Partner, QZ&WD (Jiangxi) Law Firm โ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐น ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฑ๐ฒ: โข Ruvini Fernando, ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ โ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐, ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ๐ฎ & ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ โข Sarath Sathkumara, ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฒ๐ณ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ โ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น, ๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐น๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐๐ป ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฑ โข Sanjay Notani, ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ (๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ) โข Shiran Fernando, ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฒ๐ณ ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ, ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐น๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ Moderated by Dushyantha Perera, ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ & ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐. While attendance is by private invitation only, a recording of the discussion will be made publicly available via our website and social media channels following the event. We look forward to sharing insights from what promises to be a timely and substantive exchange on trade, strategy, and Sri Lankaโs position in a rapidly evolving global order. Please email events@sudathpereraassociates.com for further information.
16 February 2026
Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) Annual Conference 2026 in NewDelhi, from 25th-28th February
Sudath Perera (Founder-Managing Partner) and Dushyantha Perera (Partner/Head of Corporate & Commercial Law) will be attending the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) Annual Conference 2026 in NewDelhi, from 25th-28th February. Please reach out to them directly, or via ccldepartment@sudathpereraassociates.com, for meeting requests.
09 February 2026
We are pleased to share our Legal 500 Asia Pacific rankings for 2026.
We are pleased to share our Legal 500 Asia Pacific rankings for 2026. ๐ฆ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ต ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ has been recognised with 6 practice rankings and 8 individual rankings, including Hall of Fame, Leading Partner, and Next Generation Partner distinctions. We extend our congratulations to our ranked partners: โข ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ: Sudath Perera (Dispute Resolution and Intellectual Property) โข ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐: Manoj Bandara (Dispute Resolution), Dushyantha Perera (Corporate and M&A), Lakshana Perera (Dispute Resolution), Himani Perera (Dispute Resolution) โข ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐: Thidas Herath (Labour & Employment), Hafsa Ifthikar (Corporate and M&A) We are also grateful to be recognised across all four Legal 500 Client Satisfaction Survey criteria, reflecting consistent client feedback on quality, efficiency, sector knowledge, and service. ๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐.
04 February 2026
Honouring 78 years of Sri Lankaโs Independence.
Honouring 78 years of Sri Lankaโs Independence.
25 January 2026
The 73rd BASL Webinar for 2025/2026 and the thirty second Webinar of Series 6, – โBasics of Law: Mergers & Acquisitionsโ
The 73rd BASL Webinar for 2025/2026 and the thirty second Webinar of Series 6, - โBasics of Law: Mergers & Acquisitions โ is scheduled to be held on Monday, 26th January 2026 from 6.30 PM with Ms.Nipuni Samarasekara, Attorney-at-Law, and moderated by Mr.Rakitha Jayatunge, Attorney-at-Law. Please find the Zoom registration link :-https://lnkd.in/gyAz9FNA
15 January 2026
Wishing you a joyful Thai Pongal filled with abundance, happiness, and success.
Wishing you a joyful Thai Pongal filled with abundance, happiness, and success. May this season of harvest bring prosperity and new opportunities.
21 December 2025
CHAMBERS & PARTNERS ASIA- PACIFIC GUIDE 2026
We are pleased to share our firmโs rankings in the Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific Guide 2026. In this yearโs guide, the firm continues to maintain its strong rankings for its Intellectual Property, Dispute Resolution, and Corporate/Commercial practices. Our Founder-Managing Partner, Sudath Perera, is also listed as an 'Eminent Practitioner' and remains the only Sri Lankan lawyer to be awarded this designation in the directory, with listings in both Intellectual Property and Dispute Resolution. The 2026 guide also reflects ongoing 'Notable Practitioner' recognition for Dushyantha Perera (Head of Department - Corporate & Commercial Law), Himani Perera (Head of Department - Intellectual Property), and Manoj Bandara (Lead Counsel - Dispute Resolution). We thank our clients and peers for their feedback to Chambers & Partners.