Sri Lanka’s economy is projected to grow by around 3.1% in 2025, according to officials of the Ministry of Finance.
The projection was revealed during a meeting of the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) in Parliament, chaired by MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. The committee reviewed the country’s income, expenditure, and debt conditions for the first half of 2025.
During the session, Dr. de Silva questioned whether the expected growth target could be achieved based on current data. In response, Finance Ministry officials said it was reasonable to assume that economic growth would be around 3.1% this year.
Officials also reported that government revenue in the first six months of 2025 exceeded expectations. From an estimated Rs. 2,241 billion, actual revenue collections reached Rs. 2,318 billion, surpassing the mid-year target by 3%.
Total government expenditure for the first half of 2025 was Rs. 3,467 billion, an increase of Rs. 367 billion compared to the same period in 2024. Debt servicing accounted for the largest share, totaling Rs. 1,984 billion. Spending on essential public services—including salaries, pensions, and social security programs such as Aswesuma and Samurdhi—also rose during this period.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Customs Department recorded Rs. 996 billion in revenue from January to June 2025, a 47% increase compared to the same period in 2024. A significant portion of this growth came from automobile imports, which generated Rs. 429 billion in revenue.
Since the resumption of vehicle imports, 220,026 vehicles have entered the country, of which 154,537 have already been cleared by Sri Lanka Customs, officials noted.
