📈 Port City Colombo Drives Sri Lanka’s ICT Growth Chapter

• National Export Shift ICT/BPM export earnings reached US$ 1.64 Bn in 2025, overtaking tea as Sri Lanka's second-largest export earner. The industry spans over 500 companies and employs approximately 146,000 professionals. • Port City Colombo Impact By providing a designated foreign currency environment, Port City Colombo helps reduce friction in international invoicing, procurement, and payroll. The special economic zone also serves as a strategic mechanism to retain and attract top talent locally. • Firm Growth Case Study Early entrant IGT I (Outsourcing Lanka) has expanded to over 500 employees since entering the zone in March 2024, servicing international clients across the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. • Key Policy & Regulatory Developments • Strategic Status: Cabinet granted approval to 77 Businesses of Strategic Importance (BSIs) in April 2026. • Tax Revisions: The 2026 amendment to the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act transitioned employee tax treatment from open-ended exemptions to a transitional model for existing entities and standard rates for new entrants. • Operational Needs: Industry leaders emphasize the importance of policy predictability and transitioning from manual processes to fully digital workflows (e.g., digital signatures).