Fri Nov 07 16:36:32 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

Sri Lanka Eyes Economic Recovery in 2026, Projects 7% Growth

COLOMBO – Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake presented the 2026 budget to Parliament on Friday, outlining a path to economic recovery after the nation’s 2022 financial crisis. Dissanayake, who also serves as Finance Minister, stated that Sri Lanka has nearly completed its debt restructuring and is regaining investor confidence.

“For a long time, Sri Lanka was under severe debt,” Dissanayake said, noting that the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to fall from 114% to 96% this year, with a further target of 87% by 2030. He also stated that Sri Lanka will regain the economic output lost to the 2022 crisis by the end of 2025.

The 2026 budget aims for a primary surplus of 2.5% of GDP, total government revenue of 15.4% of GDP, and a deficit of 5.1% of GDP, aligning with the nation’s $2.9 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.

Anjali Hewapathage, Deputy Head of Macroeconomic Research at Frontier Research, believes the budget solidifies Sri Lanka’s growth recovery pathway.

President Dissanayake, who assumed office last year, pledged to combat corruption and stabilize the economy. Sri Lanka is currently drafting tax laws to attract foreign investment. Securing the sixth IMF tranche of $347 million by year-end is dependent on these reforms. The World Bank forecasts growth of 4.6% in 2025 and 3.5% in 2026.

Read More