📈 ICT/BPM Exports Surpass Tea in Historic Economic Shift

Sri Lanka’s digital economy has hit a major milestone during the first four months of 2026, with digital services exports overtaking tea earnings for the first time in modern economic history. • Overall performance (Jan-Apr 2026): ICT/BPM export earnings reached approximately US$ 581.70 Mn. Tea export earnings stood at US$ 451.58 Mn during the same period. • Key Drivers & Policy Support: Sector growth stems from long-term ecosystem development and talent expansion. Key enablers include Port City Colombo tax benefits for IT firms, the Digital Nomad Visa, and public sector digitalization. E-payment boosts like removing MDR charges on QR transactions below Rs. 5,000 have accelerated domestic digital adoption. • Economic Impact & Future Vision: Beyond direct foreign exchange, ICT/BPM is driving productivity across traditional sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism via the DigitalSME program. The Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS) is aligning initiatives with the government's target of a US$ 15.00 Bn digital economy by 2030. Industry leaders emphasize that maintaining policy consistency and retention of tech talent are critical to remaining globally competitive.