June, 16, 2026
Marking a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s economic development, the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2026–2030 was officially launched today, 16 June 2026.
Hon. Sunil Handunneththi, Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development, attended the event as the Chief Guest.
In addition, several Ministers representing the Government, including Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, as well as several Deputy Ministers, including Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development, also attended the event.
Furthermore, the Secretaries of several Ministries, including Mrs. Thilaka Jayasundara, Secretary to the Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development, along with a delegation from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), including Managing Director Ms. Shannon Cowlin and Senior Public Sector Economist Ms. Nyda Mukhtar, also graced the occasion.
Moreover, senior government officials including Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, officials including Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Export Development Board, exporters, private sector representatives, development partners, and a number of other distinguished invitees also participated in this event.
The National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2026–2030 is a flagship national initiative developed in line with the policy direction of the Government of Sri Lanka under Budget 2025, with the objective of strengthening the country’s export sector and advancing sustainable, export-led economic growth. The Plan was formulated under the guidance of the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and the leadership of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), with technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through its Policy-Based Lending (PBL) Programme. The NEDP represents a comprehensive and consultative effort undertaken in close collaboration with key government institutions, private sector stakeholders, development partners, and other relevant entities, providing a coherent strategic framework and actionable roadmap to enhance Sri Lanka’s export competitiveness and diversification during the period 2026–2030.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved on 4th May 2026, the proposal submitted by the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development to recognize the 'Sri Lanka National Export Development Plan 2026–2030' as the official strategic framework for export development and promotion in Sri Lanka.
The Plan represents a unified, consensus-driven roadmap jointly developed by key government institutions, private sector leaders, and international development partners.
Aligned with the Government’s national vision of “A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life,” the Plan is designed to enhance Sri Lanka’s export competitiveness and achieve an ambitious yet realistic export revenue target of USD 36 billion by 2030.
The Plan is designed to systematically enhance export competitiveness and deliver sustainable export growth, positioning Sri Lanka to achieve this target in a realistic and results-oriented manner.
Its central vision is to transform Sri Lanka into a competitive logistics and knowledge-intensive export hub serving regional and global markets.
This strategic plan is structured around two interconnected pillars: Cross-Sector Enablers (Horizontals) and Priority Sectors (Verticals), which together provide a comprehensive framework to strengthen Sri Lanka’s export competitiveness, diversification, and sustainable growth.
The Cross-Sector Enablers (Horizontals) establish the essential foundation required to support the development and expansion of all priority sectors. These include:
To drive export diversification, enhance value addition, and position Sri Lanka more competitively in global markets, eight priority sectors (Verticals) have been identified:
Together, these pillars provide a coordinated approach to addressing cross-cutting constraints while accelerating growth in high-potential export sectors.
The formulation of the NEDP was undertaken through a comprehensive and inclusive consultative process. Extensive stakeholder engagements were conducted from October to December 2025, encompassing over 300 participants representing government agencies, the private sector, development partners, civil society organizations, and subject matter experts. These consultations were held through physical and virtual platforms in Colombo and Kandy, followed by validation workshops in January 2026 to ensure broad consensus and alignment.
Through the implementation of this plan, supported by a robust governance and monitoring framework, the government aims to elevate domestic products to international standards and ensure long-term economic stability and growth for the country. The National Export Development Plan will serve as the new vanguard of Sri Lanka’s economy.
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