The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce welcomes Budget 2026 for its policy stability and reform focus but cautions that without swift, concrete implementation, the country risks losing its fragile recovery momentum.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), Sri Lanka’s leading private sector body, has expressed cautious optimism about Budget 2026, calling it a sound policy framework built on fiscal discipline, debt management and reform continuity. However, the Chamber warned that the real test lies in execution, not design.
In a statement, the CCC described the budget as a roadmap for policy stability and long-term growth, noting that consistency is critical for sustaining investor confidence, maintaining low inflation and achieving steady interest rates. It said the country must now shift from a short-term, consumption-led rebound to a more sustainable growth model driven by productive public investment.
The Chamber stressed that the government must convert recent fiscal overperformance into strategic capital expenditure across key sectors such as infrastructure, transport, energy, digital services, education, health, agriculture and tourism. Well-directed spending, it said, could become the next engine of broad-based economic growth.
The CCC welcomed the incorporation of 18 of its key proposals into the budget, including the Trade National Single Window, para-tariff elimination, a PPP framework, 5G licensing, the rollout of Digital ID cards, land use planning reform, airport expansion and SOE governance strengthening through the Public Commercial Business Management Act.
Despite these positives, the CCC cautioned that “effective implementation remains the litmus test for success.” It urged authorities to prioritise delivering tangible outcomes from initiatives such as PPP legislation, tourism promotion and digital transformation.
The Chamber also called for urgent reforms to strengthen tax administration, widen the tax base and improve public sector efficiency to support SOE restructuring and trade facilitation. It further noted that investor confidence could have been strengthened through targeted investment incentives and faster legislative clarity on the Economic Transformation Act.
Highlighting the importance of aligning reforms under the B-Ready Index, the CCC said fast-tracking these efforts will be crucial if Sri Lanka hopes to achieve the 7 percent growth target outlined in Budget 2026.
