2026-03-03 / Debate: Foreign Exchange Act Order under Section 22 of the Foreign Exchange Act, No. 12 of 2017
Hon. Kathiravelu Shanmugam Kugathasan
2026-03-03
## Summary Hon. Kugathasan welcomed the Government's decision to increase outward investment limits, characterising it as a positive shift from crisis management toward growth-oriented economic policy. He argued, however, that this measure alone is insufficient and must be part of broader reforms to position Sri Lanka as a competitive business and financial hub. Specifically, he called for the introduction of "automatic route" approvals for investments, citing India and Singapore as models, and emphasised that legislative changes must be accompanied by institutional reforms to achieve a genuinely open economy.
Please give me one more minute, Sir. By increasing outward investment limits, the Government signals a shift from crisis management to growth-oriented policy. However, this is only part of the wider reforms needed to make Sri Lanka a genuine business and financial hub. Following India and Singapore, Sri Lanka should move towards “automatic route” approvals as the norm. To become an open economy like Singapore, we must focus not only on law but also on institutional reforms. Thank you.