Sri Lanka’s export landscape has seen a shift, with India overtaking the United Kingdom to become its second-largest export destination during January–April this year, according to the Export Development Board.
The United States continues to remain Sri Lanka’s top export market, maintaining its lead despite mixed performance trends across sectors.
India’s export earnings rose 8.9% year-on-year to USD 364.15 million in the January–April 2026 period, even though April alone saw a slight 1.41% dip compared to the previous year. This growth helped India surpass the UK in overall ranking.
Sri Lanka’s total exports, including goods and services, stood at USD 1,380.93 million in April 2026, marking a 6% annual increase. Merchandise exports grew nearly 10%, while services exports were estimated at USD 317.16 million.
On a cumulative basis, exports for January–April 2026 reached USD 5,784.38 million, reflecting 4.3% growth over the same period last year.
Sector-wise, coconut-based products performed strongly, rising 23.49%, with activated carbon exports surging over 58%. The services sector also showed strength, particularly IT and business process management, which earned USD 146.09 million, while financial services more than doubled.
However, the apparel and textiles sector declined 4.88%, impacted by reduced demand from the US, EU, and UK markets. Tea exports also fell 6.82%, with sharp drops in several key Middle Eastern destinations.
Despite these declines, the US market grew 3.15% in April, reinforcing its position as Sri Lanka’s largest export destination, although cumulative exports to the US for the year so far showed a slight decline of 2.09%.
