COLOMBO — As global shipping navigates complex geopolitical shifts and choke-point vulnerabilities, Sri Lanka officially launched the 8th edition of the Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference (CIMC), focusing on pushing the island nation’s shipping business.

The three-day conference brings together over 500 delegates, regional policymakers, global port operators, and shipping titans to reshape the future of Indian Ocean trade.  

Centered on the theme “Building a world around us,” the summit anchors Sri Lanka’s strategy to cement its status as South Asia’s premier transshipment and logistics powerhouse.

Situated directly along key East-West trade routes, the island nation offers a secure, resilient passage that remains uniquely insulated from global supply chain disruptions.  

Rohan Masakorala, the CEO of the Shippers Academy Colombo said the shipping and logistics has been contributing only up to 2.5 percent of the GDP, though it has a potential to contribute around 10 percent.

The conference opens against the backdrop of ambitious infrastructure pushes. Sri Lanka is aggressively scaling its maritime footprint, aiming to expand container capacity in Colombo and Hambantota significantly by late 2027.

Beyond traditional port operations, discussions are zeroing in on high-value logistics, free port operations, automated distribution centers, green technology transitions, and bunkering services.  

The conference includes high-level sessions with regional leaders and delegations from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, focusing on how Sri Lanka can integrate with India’s surging industrial growth.

A major milestone of the forum will be the unveiling of the South Asia Container Report 2026, delivering essential data for strategic investments.  

Supported by the Ministry of Ports & Civil Aviation and international industry bodies, the 8th CIMC underscores a firm message: as global commerce seeks stability, Sri Lanka is ready to lead the modern maritime era.  (Colombo/September 09/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake urged visiting Indian Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh to help the island nation’s efforts in combating drug trafficking while promising no harm to the Indian Ocean’s peace, his office said in a statement.

Indian Defence Minister is in Sri Lanka on a three-day official visit amid the signing of three defence deals; this is the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister in 38 years.

“In particular, the President briefed the Indian Defence Minister on the national programme recently launched by Sri Lanka to combat drug trafficking,” the President’s Media Division (PMD) said in a statement.

“He stated that, as the Indian Ocean has become a hub for drug trafficking, Sri Lanka expects India’s fullest support in its efforts to combat the illicit drug menace.”

“The President also expressed confidence that India would extend its fullest support toward extraditing Sri Lankan drug traffickers currently serving prison sentences in India.”

Over recent years, India and Sri Lanka have built a structured, intelligence-driven maritime security partnership to counter the expansion of transnational narcotics syndicates operating across the Indian Ocean.

Geographically positioned along major smuggling routes originating from the Makran Coast and transit hubs in South Asia, both nations rely on coordinated naval patrols, direct intelligence-sharing between the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, and Sri Lanka Navy, and joint maritime capacity-building.

This operational collaboration has regularly resulted in high-value mid-sea interdictions targeting dhows and trawlers attempting mid-sea transfers near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

Beyond maritime domain awareness, bilateral mechanisms extend to information exchanges between India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Sri Lanka’s National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) to disrupt cross-border supply chains connecting Nepal, South India, and Sri Lankan coastal entry points.

Peaceful Indian Ocean

“The President stated that Sri Lanka would continue to extend its support towards maintaining peace in the Indian Ocean region,” the PMD said.

“He emphasised that Sri Lanka makes decisions taking into consideration both national and regional interests, and that, as a sovereign state, Sri Lanka enters into various agreements with countries around the world while remaining mindful of regional security.”

India has long maintained that a peaceful, secure Indian Ocean free from hostile foreign military footprints is critical to its core national security interests.

Fearing that foreign naval expansion, most notably China’s presence and infrastructure investments in Sri Lankan ports like Hambantota, could turn its immediate maritime neighbourhood into a strategic threat, New Delhi has repeatedly requested that Colombo prevent Sri Lankan territory, waters, or ports from being utilized for activities detrimental to India’s security.

In response, Sri Lanka has adopted a delicate foreign policy balancing act.

While Colombo actively seeks commercial partnerships with major global powers for infrastructure and debt relief, successive Sri Lankan administrations have reassured India of an “India First” approach to regional security, promising that the island nation will not allow its territory or maritime domain to be weaponized or exploited by external actors to threaten India’s security interests.

To operationalize these assurances and demonstrate its commitment to regional stability, Sri Lanka has deepened bilateral defence agreements with India, enforced moratoriums on foreign research vessels entering its ports, and anchored its maritime framework in multilateral groupings like the Colombo Security Conclave. (Colombo/September 09/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange closed down on Wednesday trading, CSE data showed, with the benchmark All Share Price Index moving down 0.25 percent.

The ASPI was down 53.01 points at 21,489.22, while the more liquid S&P SL20 was down 0.22 percent, or 13.62 points, at 6,040.90.

Positive contributors to the ASPI were Melstacorp (up 0.80 percent at 189.50 rupees), Hemas Holdings (up 0.96 percent at 31.60 rupees), Citizens Development Business Finance (up 1.69 percent at 36.00 rupees), and Sarvodaya Development Finance (up 5.67 percent at 41.00 rupees).

Hayleys (down 2.22 percent at 231.50 rupees), Central Finance Company (down 1.67 percent at 220.25 rupees), LOLC Holdings (down 1.33 percent at 464.00 rupees), and Hatton National Bank (down 0.39 percent at 381.75 rupees) were top negative contributors.

Market turnover was 972.23 million rupees. Capital goods led turnover with 283.19 million rupees.

HNB Finance announced the appointment of four new Independent/Non-Executive Directors: Mr. Renuke Wijayawardhane, Mrs. Shanti Gnanapragasam, Mrs. Fathima Nabiha Benazir Mohamed, and Dr. Thisuri Jinadhi Wanniarachchi, effective September 8, 2026, following Central Bank approval.

Shares of HNB Finance closed down 1.20 percent at 8.20 rupees. (Colombo/September09/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said talks with Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake have been ‘highly productive’.

“Today, in Colombo, I held a highly productive meeting with His Excellency Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka.”

“As close neighbors, and maritime partners, India and Sri Lanka have reaffirmed our commitment to continue working together for the development of our countries and the well-being of our people.”

“Likewise, we have reaffirmed our resolve to work together for the security, safety, peace, and prosperity of our region,” Singh said.

Singh also met the opposition leader and Indian diaspora in the island nation. (Colombo/Sep9/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – HUTCH has secured a Gold Award, a Black Dragon, and a Silver Award at Dragons of Sri Lanka 2026, a marketing communications and advertising awards ceremony recognizing regional creative excellence, strategic campaigns, and brand achievements.

HUTCH stood out as the only telecommunications brand honoured at this year’s ceremony, with all three accolades developed in partnership with TBWA\Sri Lanka.

The key highlight is the Gold Award for Best Use of Artificial Intelligence, awarded for “The Roaming Hack,” a campaign for HUTCH’s industry leading roaming proposition that used AI to rethink how customers experience roaming. The same campaign also earned a Black Dragon under a further award category.

HUTCH also earned a Silver Award for Best Product Launch, awarded for “HUTCH Pissuwak Ma Thamai,” the campaign behind the HUTCH 15 Apps product. (Colombo/Sep9/2026)

ECONOMYNEXT – LANKATILES is offering a portfolio of design-led surface solutions to one of Colombo’s most celebrated coastal destinations with its latest showroom in Mount Lavinia.

The tile manufacturer and retailer said its 61st outlet reflects its commitment to helping customers translate the timeless elegance of coastal living into contemporary interior and exterior spaces.

Located at No. 280 A, Galle Road, Mount Lavinia, the new showroom has been designed as a contemporary design destination where homeowners, architects, interior designers, developers and other industry professionals can explore a range of premium wall and floor solutions under one roof.

“Mount Lavinia has a unique identity where heritage, coastal living and contemporary urban lifestyles come together. Our 61st showroom has been created to respond to that character by giving homeowners, architects and designers greater access to collections that can transform both indoor and outdoor spaces,” Priyantha Talwatte, Managing Director of LANKATILES.

The showroom features a selection of LANKATILES wall and floor tiles, including contemporary collections, premium Double Fired wall tiles, Majestica large-format collections, Mosaics by LANKATILES and the brand’s latest innovation, Cool Rooftop Tile®, alongside a diverse range of designs for residential and commercial applications.

“Mount Lavinia has always had a distinctive relationship with architecture, lifestyle and the sea. The arrival of a showroom offering such a broad range of contemporary surfaces creates exciting possibilities for homeowners and design professionals to draw inspiration from this setting and interpret coastal living in new ways. LANKATILES’ combination of design, product innovation and versatility makes this showroom a valuable addition to the area,” Architect Jayanath Silva said. (Colombo/Sep9/2026)