A sum of 80 billion rupees has been allocated for the project to introduce electric trains in Sri Lanka next year.

According to Railway General Manager Ravindra Padmapriya , speaking to News First’s “Dawase Vimasuma”, Sri Lanka is launching a major initiative to develop electric railways as a modern suburban transport system, with infrastructure plans finalized and construction targeted to begin next year.

The initial development focuses on major commuter lines connecting Colombo (Maradana) to key suburbs such as Ragama, Panadura, and Malawatta, alongside other regional extensions.

An estimated budget of 80 billion rupees has been allocated for this expansive infrastructure development. Ultimately, the shift toward electric trains aims to provide an efficient, fast, and eco-friendly transportation network for daily commuters.

Sri Lanka is targeting a further US$4.1 billion in investments to the Port City Colombo over the next five years, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe said.

In a social media statement, Abeysinghe said investments worth US$2.1 billion have already been confirmed for the Port City, as the government seeks to position the special economic zone as a major regional investment destination.

He said the Port City was presented as a key investment opportunity at an Australian investment summit held last week.

Among the international companies identified by the Deputy Minister as having investments or operations linked to the Port City are Horizon Group USA for a global shared services centre, Ansell for global operations, IGT1 for BPO and BPM services, KPMG for offshore professional services and GAC Services for logistics back-office services.

Abeysinghe said the government had also revised what he described as excessive tax concessions previously offered to Port City investors, seeking to bring the incentive framework closer to international standards without reducing its competitiveness.

Under the revised framework, primary Businesses of Strategic Importance can qualify for corporate income tax holidays based on investment criteria, while secondary businesses are eligible for a concessionary corporate income tax rate of 7.5% for four years. The revised framework introduced in 2025 provides primary businesses with tax holidays of up to 15 years.

Sri Lanka has emerged as the most positively viewed country in South Asia, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center that examined public attitudes across the region.

The research, surveyed public opinion in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, asking respondents how they viewed neighboring countries in the region. The study found that Sri Lanka was the only country among those surveyed to receive more favorable than unfavorable ratings from all three foreign publics.

According to the findings, around half or more of respondents in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan expressed positive views of Sri Lanka, while a third or fewer held negative perceptions. Pew Research noted that Sri Lanka stood apart from other regional nations by maintaining a consistently positive image across all countries surveyed.

The report highlighted sharp differences in regional perceptions of other South Asian countries. While India received overwhelmingly positive ratings in Sri Lanka, it was viewed far less favorably in Pakistan and received mixed ratings in Bangladesh. Pakistan was viewed positively by many respondents in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh but received very low favorability ratings in India.

Researchers also found that Sri Lanka’s popularity has improved over time. Favorability toward Sri Lanka among Indians increased by six percentage points since 2024, while positive perceptions across the wider region remained strong.