Setting up in Sri Lanka

Regulated Areas

Foreign investments in the areas listed below will be approved by the respective Government agency or BOI (upto the percentage of foreign equity specified by BOI). The BOI assists potential investors by referring applications to the appropriate agency and approval is usually straight forward.

  1. Air transportation
  2. Coastal shipping
  3. Industrial undertakings in the Second Schedule of the Industrial Promotion Act No. 46 of 1990, namely
    any industries manufacturing arms, ammunitions, explosives, military vehicles and equipment aircraft and other military hardware
    any industries manufacturing poisons, narcotics, alcohols, dangerous, drug and toxic, hazardous or carcinogenic materials
    any industry producing currency, coins or security documents
  4. Large scale mechanized mining of gems
  5. Lotteries

All other sections other than the above limitations are opened for 100% foreign owned investments.