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  1. Negotiations

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has preferential and free trade agreements with India, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Singapore and Israel. It is currently in the processing of upgrading its agreement with India to a much more comprehensive one.

Sri Lanka is also party to SAFTA, the agreement on a South Asia Free Trade Area, as well as BIMSTEC, which aims to hammer out a regional FTA.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Sri Lankan engineers’ association

Proposed Sri Lanka-Malaysia FTA advances into scoping stage
24-May-2017 Daily Mirror.lk
Discussions on the proposed Sri Lanka-Malaysia free trade agreement have advanced into the scoping stage.
Under the radar: Are Sri Lanka’s ports the next great game for China, India and Japan?
17-Apr-2017 Global Risk Insights
Sri Lanka expects to deepen existing FTA with India and to sign a FTA with Singapore and another with China. Sri Lanka also hopes to talk to Japan, Indonesia and other ASEAN countries with regards to FTAs.
Lanka worries about Indian ‘Trojan Horse’
10-Feb-2017 Daily Mirror.lk
Fear of economic domination by the ‘Big Brother’ has replaced the earlier fear of political and military dominance.
Sri Lanka aiming for China trade deal in 2017, official says
10-Feb-2017 ICTSD
Sri Lanka aims to finalise a free trade agreement (FTA) with China later this year, said the country’s ambassador to Beijing
Sri Lanka seeks tripartite arrangement for trade and investment with India and Singapore
13-Jan-2017 Colombo Page
Sri Lanka is keen to establish a tripartite arrangement for trade and investment with India and Singapore, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Harsha de Silva has said.
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh consider a free trade agreement
12-Jan-2017 Colombo Page
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have discussed signing a free trade agreement between the two countries
Third round of talks on ETCA to be held on Jan. 4 and 5
3-Jan-2017 Daily Mirror (lk)
Negotiations have become tougher and tougher as both sides are keen on clinching a good deal without unrealistic compromises.
Indian, Sri Lankan officials to meet this month on FTA
2-Dec-2016 Colombo Gazette
Senior officials of India and Sri Lanka will meet to discuss broadening of the existing trade deal by including services and investments.
India and Sri Lanka begin talks on ETCA agreement
10-Aug-2016 Colombo Gazette
While India is looking at the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement as a mechanism to increase Indian investment in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan government is wanting to use ETCA to become part of the Indian supply chain
China to sign FTA with Sri Lanka in line with trade arrangement with Pakistan
3-May-2016 The Nation
China after having successful free trade agreement with Pakistan, now agreed to reach similar arrangements with Sri Lanka for free trade regime.