Sri Lanka to lift all vehicle import restrictions by February 2025

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has decided to lift all vehicle import restrictions by February 2025, according to Foreign Minister Ali Sabry. 

“With the significant improvement in forex reserves and the strength of the rupee, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to lift all vehicle import ban/restrictions by February 2025,” he said. 

“This decision is part of our ongoing efforts to restore normalcy in the economy and meet the needs of our people,” the minister said in a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).

The government of Sri Lanka had decided to suspend vehicle imports in 2021 due to the economic crisis triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the severe economic crisis continued to persist, authorities decided to further continue with the restrictions on vehicle imports.

Meanwhile, in June, the Ministry of Finance had announced a plan to gradually lift the restrictions by 2025.