Sri Lanka’s GDP growth for 2025 is projected to reach 3.1%, according to Finance Ministry officials.
The projection was revealed during a meeting of the Committee on Public Finance in Parliament, chaired by MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, where the country’s income, expenditure, and debt conditions for the first half of 2025 were reviewed.
Committee Chairman Dr. de Silva questioned whether the targeted growth rate for this year could be realistically achieved based on current data. In response, Finance Ministry officials confirmed that the economy is expected to grow by around 3.1% in 2025.
Officials also reported a strong fiscal performance in the first six months of the year, with government revenue reaching Rs. 2,318 billion, exceeding the half-year estimate of Rs. 2,241 billion by 3%. This marked a notable improvement compared to the same period in 2024.
However, total government expenditure during the first half of 2025 rose to Rs. 3,467 billion, up Rs. 367 billion from the previous year. The rise was mainly due to debt servicing, which amounted to Rs. 1,984 billion, along with higher recurring costs for public sector salaries, pensions, and social welfare programs such as Aswesuma and Samurdhi.
The Sri Lanka Customs Department recorded revenue of Rs. 996 billion between January and June 2025, a 47% increase compared to the same period in 2024. A significant portion of this came from automobile imports, which generated Rs. 429 billion in revenue.
Since the resumption of vehicle imports, a total of 220,026 vehicles have been brought into the country, with 154,537 cleared by Sri Lanka Customs so far, officials confirmed.
