Sri Lanka’s digital economy urgently needs global positioning reevaluation

Sri Lanka’s digital economy is at risk of not realizing its full potential by rethinking its export strategy and global positioning, according to a top official.

Doerscircle COO and Sarvodaya Fusion Board Member Yasas Vishuddhi Abeywickrama, addressing the CA Sri Lanka National Conference in Colombo said that the country’s digital exports have enlarge from $300 million in 2010 to nearly $2 billion in 2025, but the country still lose its targets.

The current digital strategy aims to achieve $5 billion in digital exports, digitize public services, build a $15 billion digital economy, and create 200,000 digital professionals by 2030. However, Abeywickrama noted that Sri Lanka remains largely unidentified as a global destination for digital services, with limited market access, skills shortages, and weak branding. “The professionals will come automatically if we grow exports, services and the digital economy. The real question is how to get there,” he said.

He suggested that Sri Lanka should swing from being a services-based outsourcing destination to creating its own digital products and platforms, focusing on India’s Zoho and Ireland’s tax-friendly model. “When you create a good product, it has its own momentum. It travels globally. You don’t have to market the destination as much,” he said.

Abeywickrama also assessed the country’s outdated tech branding and called for policymakers and business leaders to education to industry needs, engage Sri Lankan expats, and build partnerships with global hubs like India, the UAE, and Singapore.

Article Topics

digital economy  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  government services  |  Sri Lanka