Bilateral Relations between the Republic of Belarus and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Trade and economic cooperation
The Joint Belarusian-Sri Lankan Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation is currently in operation. Its first meeting was held in July 2014 in Colombo, and the second in August 2016 in Minsk. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs serves as the Commission's co-chair on the Belarusian side. The holding of Belarusian-Sri Lankan events and the development of new joint projects were hampered by strict quarantine measures adopted by Sri Lankan authorities since March 2020 to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the economic crisis that began in late 2021, and the devastating consequences of Cyclone Ditwa, which passed through Sri Lanka in December 2025.
In October 2025, direct flights were launched between Minsk and Mattala (a resort town in the south of the country). The importance of this service is due to the dynamically growing passenger flow of Belarusian citizens to the island nation's resorts (more than 10,000 tourists in 2024) and the demand for direct flights among Sri Lankan students and their families. Agricultural technologies, agricultural storage and processing technologies, soil fertility improvement technologies, the development of agricultural machinery adapted specifically to Sri Lankan conditions, as well as pre-sowing seed treatment technologies, sustainable environmental management, resource conservation, and the production of veterinary drugs may be of interest for bilateral cooperation.
Prospects for Belarusian exports from the perspective of Sri Lankan needs include potash fertilizers (a critical need), agricultural machinery for rice fields, cargo equipment for port and construction needs, pharmaceuticals, and education (training of Sri Lankan students at medical universities in Belarus).
The existing potential of Belarusian agricultural, automotive, and road construction equipment can be effectively utilized in projects to develop Sri Lanka's road infrastructure, construct and modernize port infrastructure, build buildings and structures, power facilities, and other infrastructure projects.
Sri Lanka is interested in establishing assembly plants (automotive and electronics), including for export to India. Cooperation with Belarusian universities could also be expanded, including through the launch of exchange programs between the two countries for students and professors and the expansion of the range of educational specialties for Sri Lankan students in the fields of biology, engineering, and technological sciences.
