Sri Lanka’s vehicle import expenditure has reached its third-highest level on record in 2025, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Annual Economic Review.
The increase follows the gradual relaxation of import restrictions, with all limitations on private vehicle imports fully lifted by January 2025.
The government had introduced a series of tariff and non-tariff measures to manage the expected surge in demand after years of tight controls. However, demand rebounded strongly, leading to a significant rise in vehicle imports.
A notable spike was recorded after April 2025, with both private and commercial vehicle imports contributing to a total expenditure of USD 2.04 billion for the year.
This figure represents the third-highest annual vehicle import bill in Sri Lanka’s history, following USD 2.12 billion in 2015 and USD 2.09 billion in 2018, reflecting renewed economic activity and pent-up demand.
